Plenty of practical tips were shared at a free property seminar on Tuesday night, hosted by property experts from Red Hot Real Estate and Loan Market Agile.

The message was clear - Waimate's property market remains active, supported by a steady stream of people choosing to make the district home.

And if you're considering buying, selling or investing, working with local experts can help uncover off-market opportunities, navigate the lending process and avoid costly mistakes.

Read on for some of the key takeaways from the event.

Waimate property expert Dionne Haywood at the free property seminar on Tuesday night.

A house sells in Waimate about every two days

According to Dionne Haywood from Red Hot Real Estate, there are currently around 135 properties on the market in Waimate, with an average sale price of about $405,000*.

The market continues to perform well, driven largely by people choosing to move to the district.

"It's the people moving here that are making the market buoyant," Dionne said.

Many buyers are coming from Christchurch and the North Island, attracted by affordability, lifestyle and the chance to get more for their money.

For sellers, presentation still matters.

"If the property is priced right, presented right and marketed right, you're likely to have an offer, typically within a matter of weeks," Dionne said.

Loan Market Agile’s Jacqui, Jackie and Hayley.

How much deposit do you need?

For first-home buyers, mortgage adviser Hayley Rice said banks are generally looking for a 20 per cent deposit.

Don't have 20 per cent? All hope is not lost.

There may still be options through some non-bank lenders, although these can come with different lending criteria and costs.

For investment properties, lenders are typically looking for around a 30 per cent deposit.

What are people doing with interest rates?

While nobody knows exactly where interest rates are headed, Hayley said many borrowers are currently choosing to fix for two years.

"That feels about right at the moment," she said.

First-home buyers: Think of it as a 10-year project

A good strategy according to Dionne, was to think of your first home as a 10-year project.

"Most first-home buyer homes will always be first-home buyer homes."

Instead, think of your first property as a stepping stone and focus on building equity over time.

Do your due diligence

New carpet and a fresh coat of paint can make a property look great, but buyers need to look deeper.

Check roofs, maintenance issues and anything that could become an expensive surprise later.

A builder's report was one of the most commonly recommended investments of the evening.

As Dionne pointed out, people often do more research before buying a $20,000 car than they do before buying a $400,000 house.

Red Hot has properties available that are not publicly advertised

Not every property for sale appears online.

Dionne said Red Hot will often have two or three off-market properties available at any given time.

These are homes where owners may be willing to sell but aren't actively marketing their property.

"If you can't find what you're looking for, come and talk to us," Dionne said.

"You never know what's available."

Red Hot Real Estate’s Dionne and Karalee

Waimate’s a good option for investors

Red Hot property manager Karalee said there continues to be demand for rental properties in Waimate, with great tenants including working families, professionals and international workers.

She said good investment properties are currently available on the market and the company is always looking for additional rental properties to manage.

Investors: Look for low-maintenance properties

For investors, Dionne recommended focusing on properties built from permanent materials with lower maintenance requirements.

Healthy Homes compliance should also be high on the checklist.

The less money you're spending on maintenance and upgrades, the more predictable your investment becomes.

*Dionne’s stats come from the latest One Roof statistics for the past 30 days in the Waimate Market.

And, she recommends settled.govt.nz if you want to look at further information about buying a home in New Zealand.

And, as always, if you’re interested in property in Waimate District get in touch with the local experts, Julie-Anne (Jules) and Dionne.

What we learnt at Waimate's property investment seminar