It’s a question that many Canterbury homeowners have been sitting with for a long time. The earthquakes happened, the damage was assessed, and at some point the repair process stalled — whether because of insurance complications, the scale of the work involved, or simply the exhaustion of dealing with it all. Now the question is whether to push through with repairs or sell the property as it stands.
There’s no universal right answer. But there are some practical considerations that tend to make the decision clearer once you look at them honestly.
The case for repairing
Repairing a damaged home and returning it to the market fully insured will, in most cases, produce a higher sale price than selling it As Is Where Is. That’s the straightforward argument for going through the repair process.
If you have the funds to cover the work, a reliable builder lined up, a clear scope from your insurer or engineer, and the capacity to manage a renovation project — potentially while living elsewhere — then repair may well be the right path.
The question worth asking honestly is whether all of those conditions are actually in place. Repair projects on earthquake-damaged homes are rarely as straightforward as they look on paper. Scopes of work change once walls come down. Costs run over. Timeframes stretch. And throughout all of that, you’re carrying the property — rates, insurance, and often a mortgage — while the work is underway.
The case for selling As Is Where Is
Selling As Is Where Is removes the financial risk, the project management, and the uncertainty about what the final cost will be. You receive a cash, unconditional offer based on what the property is worth today in its current condition, and settlement happens on a date that works for you.
The trade-off is that the offer will be lower than what the property would achieve once repaired. That difference reflects the cost of the work, the time it takes, and the risk involved — all of which transfers to us when we purchase the property. For many people, that trade-off is straightforward: a certain outcome now versus an uncertain one further down the track.
What tends to drive the decision
In our experience working with Canterbury homeowners, the decision usually comes down to a few things.
Financial position. If the repair costs are largely covered by an insurance settlement and the gap is manageable, repair becomes more viable. If the costs are significant and the funding isn’t clearly in place, the financial case for selling As Is Where Is tends to be stronger.
Time and capacity. Managing a repair project is a real commitment. If you’re already stretched — work, family, health, or simply the mental load of a process that’s already taken years — the value of a clean, certain outcome is hard to overstate.
What you need to move forward. For some people, the priority is having funds available to buy or build their next home without delay. For others, maximising the sale price matters more and they have the bandwidth to see the repair process through. Both are valid, and the right answer depends on which situation you’re actually in.
You don’t have to decide before you talk to us
One of the things we do when we assess a property is provide you with both figures — what we believe the property would be worth once repaired, and what we’d offer for it As Is Where Is. That gives you something concrete to weigh up, and you’re under no obligation to do anything with our offer.
A number of the people we’ve bought from have found that seeing both numbers clearly, rather than just estimating the gap, was what helped them make the decision with confidence.
We have helped over 450 Canterbury homeowners move forward from difficult property situations. The feedback we hear most consistently is that the process felt stress-free, fair, and more straightforward than people expected — and that dealing directly with Kane and Ronan made a real difference. For us, it has always been about more than buying houses. It is about helping people move forward with confidence and giving them the fresh start they have been looking for.
If you have a property you would like to talk through, we are happy to have a conversation with no obligation on your part.
Call us on 0800 697 827 or visit mynewstart.co.nz.
