Why New Zealand Needs More Transparency in Real Estate

Yesterday, we met virtually with the team at Homer — an Australian company using technology to bring greater transparency and accountability to real estate. Their app rates agents based on how accurately their advertised price guides align with eventual sale prices, helping buyers better understand whether a property is genuinely within reach. We would love to see this technology in New Zealand.

At Weka Legal and Real Estate, we regularly see the financial and emotional impact that unclear pricing can have on buyers. Recently, one of our clients spent their hard earned money getting to an unconditional position to make an offer – only to discover the vendor’s expectations were far higher than the original price guide suggested.

Unfortunately, this is not uncommon.

When pricing expectations are unrealistic or unclear from the outset, buyers can waste significant time, money, and energy pursuing properties they never had a realistic chance of securing.

Greater transparency benefits everyone. Buyers gain confidence, vendors attract genuinely interested purchasers, agents build trust, and the market becomes fairer and more efficient overall.

Platforms like Homer demonstrate how technology can improve accountability in real estate transactions. While Australia is already embracing tools like this, we believe New Zealand has an opportunity to do the same.

At Weka Legal and Real Estate, we support initiatives that help consumers make informed property decisions and reduce unnecessary stress and expense during the buying process.

To learn more about Homer, visit: https://www.homerapp.com.au/