The house is in the upscale seaside suburb of Glendowie, a four-minute drive from a picturesque beach and a waterfront promenade with cafes, bars, restaurants and boutiques in nearby St. Heliers village, Mr. Robson said. “You get people in a room fighting each other to buy a property,” Mr. Robson said. On South Island, the Queenstown Lakes District is popular with foreign buyers, including Americans, Mr. Hawkins said. Home sales close quickly, usually within 30 days, and occasionally as few as nine, Mr. Robson said. The real estate agent “has to do a lot of due diligence” and draws up the contract, which is then overseen by a lawyer.

Source: New York Times January 11, 2017 14:31 UTC