Each year the Australasian Real Estate Institute’s Auctioneer of the Year award brings out the best of the real estate world in Australia and New Zealand.

Known as the most prestigious award to be won throughout Oz and New Zealand, you can be sure only the great estate agents will apply; as contestants battle it out to prove they are the most professional, skilled and entertaining in the business.

Here are some of the top auctioneers’ top tips for investors buying property in New Zealand via auction: “Education and preparation is very important – attend other auctions to see how they run, have your finances organised and ensure you understand that you are bidding on a cash unconditional basis. The best tip however is to have clarity as to what you are going to bid up to.”

When asked if it is a smart bidder’s way to bid early or wait, the response came as; “There are mixed attitudes toward this. Some say that you are best to wait and not add to the momentum of the auction. A good auctioneer is trying to always create momentum. In addition, I often remind potential bidders of their responsibility to show the market to the sellers. A seller is more likely to be a realistic seller if they see the market played out by way of bidding to them.”

To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in New Zealand, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘New Zealand Property Buying Guide’