Godfreys Law has handled property conveyancing and property transfer services for Cantabrians for 155 years. From first home buyers to commercial property and complex residential transactions, plain language, a named lawyer on your direct line, and the same person from your first call to settlement.
The team handles the full range of property work, from straightforward first home purchases to more complex residential transactions and commercial property transfers. Pick the one that fits, or scroll through and call us. We'll point you to the right lawyer either way.
From KiwiSaver sign-off to the day you get the keys, we'll handle the legal side so you can focus on moving in.
Talk to a property lawyerSale and purchase review, title check, mortgage docs, settlement. We've done this thousands of times for Cantabrians.
Talk to a property lawyerWe'll draft the sale agreement, work alongside your agent, and handle the settlement. Same lawyer end to end.
Talk to a property lawyerOff-the-plan, build contracts, turnkey settlements. We'll spot the clauses that matter and tell you what you're committing to.
Talk to a property lawyerStatutory declaration, deposit sign-off, and working with your KiwiSaver provider to keep the application moving. Funds release is set by your provider's timeframes, not ours.
Talk to a property lawyerBefore you sign, we'll read the conditions, flag what matters, and tell you in plain English what you're agreeing to.
Talk to a property lawyerWhen the title's complicated, you want a lawyer who's seen it before. Covenants, easements, encumbrances, plain-English explanation of what it means for you.
Talk to a property lawyerJoint tenancy, tenants in common, sharing agreements. We'll set it up so it works if life changes later on.
Talk to a property lawyerBuying or selling commercial property, business premises, or investment buildings. Title work, due diligence, settlement, all run by lawyers who do this every week.
Talk to a property lawyerWelcome back. Call your usual lawyer's direct line, or ask for them on the main number. Most of our property work is repeat clients.
Call (03) 366 7469One conversation gets you a real lawyer and a clear plan. No call centre, no chatbot, no clock running on the first call.
Tell us what you're working through. Fifteen minutes on the phone, no obligation, no clock running.
We'll tell you what we'll do, what you'll need, and what it will cost, before any work starts.
Your matter is handled by a named lawyer with a direct line. Same person from first call to settlement.
The team handling your matter, from first home buyers to commercial property and complex residential transactions. Ask for any of them by name when you call.
Sally leads a broad property practice covering residential conveyancing, commercial property, and the more complex transactions that come with both. She works with first home buyers, returning families, investors, and businesses moving through commercial transfers.
Kate is an associate in the property team, working across residential and commercial property matters. She's a regular first point of contact for client enquiries, and runs files end to end alongside Sally.
Denese is a registered legal executive who's seen Canterbury property change hands across decades. She brings the steady, practical experience that keeps a settlement on track when the moving parts start to multiply.
Selena is a solicitor in the property team. She works closely with Sally and Kate on residential property matters, and is often the lawyer first home buyers will speak to as their settlement moves through the steps.
The questions we get asked most often by people in the middle of a property matter. If yours isn't here, call us and ask.
Yes. We offer a dedicated fixed-fee package for standard first home buyer purchases, so you know the legal cost up front before any work starts. Our fixed fee is $1,900 plus GST and disbursements.
That covers the work for a standard first home purchase: reviewing the sale and purchase agreement before you sign, reading the LIM and title and flagging anything that needs pushing back on, guiding you through due diligence, assisting with your KiwiSaver withdrawal and any first-home grant applications, reviewing your mortgage and lending documents, confirming the contract once conditions are satisfied, and managing settlement and registration of ownership.
Additional fees may apply where extra work is needed, for example house and land packages, auction pack reviews, complex titles, shared ownership arrangements, or non-standard mortgage and KiwiSaver paperwork. We'll tell you on the first call whether your purchase sits inside the fixed-fee scope or needs a tailored quote.
For sales, investment purchases, refinances, commercial property, and more complex residential matters we give you a clear written scope and fee before any work starts. No clock running on the first call, and no surprises later in the process.
Most residential matters run four to six weeks from a signed sale and purchase agreement to settlement. Finance approvals, LIM reports, and the length of the property chain can stretch it longer. We'll give you a realistic timeline on the first call.
A LIM (Land Information Memorandum) is the council's record of what they know about the property: consents, hazards, services, anything on file. We recommend ordering one during your due diligence window. We'll read it with you and translate the parts that matter.
Yes. We sign the statutory declaration, prepare the deposit sign-off, and lodge everything with your KiwiSaver provider on your behalf. We move our side of the paperwork as quickly as we can; the actual release of funds is set by your provider's own processing timeframes, so we'll plan settlement dates with that in mind.
Joint tenancy means equal ownership and the survivor inherits if one of you dies. Tenants in common lets each owner hold a defined share that they can leave to whoever they choose. The right answer depends on your situation, and we'll talk you through it before you sign.
Yes to all three. Same lawyer, same direct line, same approach: plain language and a clear fixed scope before any work starts.
Often, yes. We'll read the title carefully, explain what each restriction means for you, and tell you whether it changes what you're committing to. If something looks worth pushing back on, we'll say so.
To start, send us the draft sale and purchase agreement (or the listing), photo ID for everyone going on title, and the contact for your bank or lender. We'll guide you through anti-money-laundering paperwork from there.
Yes. Your lawyer's direct line is your point of contact. You won't get bounced around a team, and you won't be charged for a quick question.
Yes. Call (03) 366 7469 or fill in the form. We'll call you back the same business day.
We've been a Canterbury law firm since 1870. Across that time, the legal questions have changed, the technology has changed, the city has changed twice over. What hasn't changed is the way the work gets done: a real person on the phone, plain language, a fixed scope before anything starts.
Plenty of our property work today is for the children and grandchildren of clients we first acted for decades ago. We'd like to be the firm your kids end up calling too.
One phone call or one short form. Same business day, no obligation, no clock running. You'll be talking to a real lawyer, not a call centre.
