Can you buy house in New Zealand as US citizen is restricted due to Overseas Investment Act, with US citizens considered overseas persons and generally cannot buy existing residential property without consent, but can buy new builds and some exceptions. US citizen buying house in New Zealand, which is under Overseas Investment Act 2005 amended by Overseas Investment Amendment Act 2018 banning overseas buyers from buying existing residential property to address housing affordability, with Overseas Investment Office OIO administering, US citizens classified as overseas persons under act, meaning US citizen who is not New Zealand citizen or permanent resident with 12 months residence, cannot buy existing residential houses and land classified as sensitive land without OIO consent, which is difficult to obtain for existing homes, with ban applying to existing houses, but US citizens can buy new build houses, apartments off the plans, and properties in large developments with exemption certificate, and can buy land to build new house with OIO consent if you commit to building within certain timeframe, and can buy commercial property and rural land over certain size with OIO consent. US citizens who have NZ permanent residency and have lived in NZ 12 months can buy any house. So as US citizen without NZ residency, you cannot buy existing house in NZ without OIO consent which is rarely granted, but you can buy new build house, apartment off plan, or build new house with consent, with process requiring OIO application costing $35,000+ for sensitive land, so limited options for US citizens for existing homes.
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