Topics for verifiable CPD

1 Hour | 2026 | Applicable to all sectors

Licensees use digital technology tools every day in real estate agency work.

This topic covers the risks and issues of using digital tools, your professional and legal obligations when using digital technology, AI, digital marketing, how to keep good records, data privacy and confidentiality and the principles for using digital technologies.

1 Hour | 2026 | Applicable to all sectors

This topic helps you understand how health and safety applies to real estate agency work. It covers the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, your roles and responsibilities as a licensee, especially Rule 5.1, the risks and hazards in real estate, and situational safety.

1 Hour | 2026 | Applicable to Residential sector

New Zealand’s residential real estate transaction process has differences compared to other countries. This topic covers the end-to-end real estate transaction process, different methods of sale, common areas of confusion and good record-keeping.

1.5 Hours | 2026 | Applicable to all sectors

This Unit titles and cross leases topic covers the various types of property ownership, the key aspects of the Unit Titles Act 2010 and Property Law Act 2007, how to apply the legislation, how to communicate key aspects of unit title and property law to customers, the importance of advising parties to seek legal advice and how to identify potential risks and issues.

1 Hour | Updated 2025 | Applicable to all sectors

This topic covers the purpose of the Real Estate Agents Authority (Professional Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2012(Code of Conduct,) the Rules, how the Code applies when carrying out real estate agency work, the standard of professional competence and conduct required by a licensee, the benefits and protections offered by the Code for licensees and consumers and the processes to address breaches.

1 Hour | 2023 | Applicable to all sectors

Many parties are involved in a real estate transaction, including licensees, vendors, purchasers, the vendor’s lawyer and purchaser’s lawyers. All parties have differing interests in the transaction. Licensees’ need to manage these interests while complying with their obligations under the Real Estate Agents Act and the Code of Conduct.

This topic explains the influence of competing interests on disclosure and the strategies for discussing disclosure with vendors.

1 Hour | 2024 | Applicable to all sectors

New Zealand is diverse and becoming more diverse. There is an obligation under Rule 6.2 to deal fairly with all parties. This topic covers the broader concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion, the relevant legislation, how to understand differences to ensure access in the real estate context and dealing fairly with customers, clients, employees and colleagues.   

1 Hour | 2025 | Applicable to all sectors

Effective communication is a key obligation of licensees to ensure all parties experience a real estate transaction process which is fair and equitable. This topic covers the importance of carrying out your duties for all people, including those with diverse needs, the delivery of effective and appropriate communication to your clients and customers and how to make use of the resources and tools available. There are several rules which raise matters that are relevant to an understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

1 Hour | 2025 | Applicable to all sectors

Effective handling of complaints is critical to maintaining trust and confidence in the real estate sector and for protecting the interests of consumers.

This topic covers a licensee’s obligations when dealing with a complaint, the importance of keeping records, having a robust internal agency complaint process (Rule 12), the REA complaint process and ensuring high standards and quality. Recurring complaint themes and related rules are discussed, misrepresentation, skill and care and fiduciary obligations, disclosure, customer service and undue pressure.

1 Hour | 2025 | Applicable to all sectors

As a licensee, you need to exercise skill, care, competence and diligence when engaging with councils, both in gathering and disclosing information to both your clients and customers. This topic covers the fundamental information you should access from councils to meet your regulatory obligations and provide a reasonable level of guidance to clients and customers.

1 Hour | 2020 | Applicable to all sectors

A property may be affected by activities that take place beyond the property’s physical boundaries. This topic explains what is meant by ‘issues beyond the boundary’, your disclosure obligations as a licensee to both the vendor and the prospective purchaser, including when to refer to specialists, how to check for ‘designations’ and the importance of local knowledge.

1 Hour | 2023 | Applicable to all sectors

Professional practice is about managing your licence and meeting your regulatory obligations. This topic helps you understand your regulatory compliance requirements, the meaning of fit and proper, the principles of real estate agency work, conflict of interest and how it applies, brand and marketing requirements and REA’s role. This topic helps you understand how to meet your licensee obligations, raise concerns about unlicensed trading and report misconduct.

1 Hour | 2024 | Applicable to all sectors

This topic covers an explanation of the legislation associated with natural disasters and weather events, the due diligence and knowledge licensees should have, what to do in the immediate aftermath of an event and the best practices for planning for future weather events.  

1 Hour | 2024 | Applicable to all sectors

Social media and digital communications are powerful tools for licensees, but caution must be taken to ensure they are used appropriately in real estate agency work.

This topic covers the relevant legislation and rules associated with social media and digital communication use, common risks and issues for real estate professionals, potential implications and damage from social media/digital communication use and the best practice actions associated with social media and digital communication use in real estate work.

1 Hour | 2024 | Applicable to all sectors

All salespeople must be supervised. The Real Estate Authority provides principle-based standards and guidance for supervisors. This topic covers the importance of supervision and who has overall responsibility, what good supervision looks like, what a best practice supervision plan/agreement looks like, an understanding of the supervision standards key points, supervisor’s obligations and the do’s and don’ts when supervising a new salesperson.

1.5 Hours | Updated 2023 | Applicable to all sectors

An agency agreement is a signed written agreement between the real estate agent and client. This topic covers when real estate agency work begins and ends, who an authorised person is, what is required in an appraisal, the requirements for claiming commission, the implications of standard agency agreement clauses and rules, the ethical responsibility of a licensee and the rights around the cancellation of agency agreements.

1.5 Hours | Updated 2023 | Applicable to all sectors

The Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism Act (AML/CFT) classifies real estate agencies as ‘reporting entities’ who are obligated to detect and deter money laundering and terrorism financing.

This topic covers the obligation of the AML/CFT requirements on real estate agencies, whom you must conduct Standard Due Diligence, Enhanced Due Diligence and Simplified Due Diligence on, what is required to identify clients and other relevant individuals, how a clients identity and address is certified, the process for reporting to the authorities and the AML/CFT red flags related to real estate transactions.

1.5 Hours | Updated 2023 | Applicable to all sectors

This topic covers an introduction of what money laundering means, the associated legislation and how it applies to real estate, the role of the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), the compliance requirements as a reporting entity, customer due diligence obligations, reporting requirement obligations, relationships with other Anti-Money Laundering (AML) entities, recognising red flags and the DIA expectations for compliance.

1.5 Hours | 2021 | Applicable to business sector

The sale of a business is a significant transaction and this topic explains the purpose of an appraisal, the legal requirements for an appraisal, the broad process for appraising a business, requirements for presenting an appraisal to a prospective vendor client and the requirements for retaining records related to an appraisal.

1.5 Hours | Updated 2025 |

Ethics refers to ‘doing what is legally and morally right’. This topic explains a licensee’s responsibilities to others when carrying out real estate agency work, ethical considerations related to conflict of interest and commission, ethical considerations related to establishing an agency agreement and ethical considerations related to sale and purchase agreements and lease agreements.

1.5 Hours | Updated 2021 | Applicable to all sectors

Real estate licensees use various forms of communication and this topic covers how these communications channels apply to real estate agency work, key considerations in electronic communication with consumers, benefits of using information from settled.govt.nz, the requirements for communication throughout the real estate transaction and the requirements for contractual documentation and record keeping.

1.5 Hours | Updated 2023 | Applicable to all sectors

A conjunctional sale is where a real estate agency cooperates with another agency or licensee to complete the sale or lease of a property. This topic covers what a conjunctional sale is and how it is established, what needs to be agreed in a conjunctional agreement, the duties of the licensees from both agencies, the best practice when licensees are approached by customers, clients or other agencies and professional behaviour.

1.5 Hours | Updated 2025 | Applicable to all sectors

Licensees are expected to understand how GST works in a real estate transaction context. This topic covers key terms relating to GST, with explanations of key taxation legislation around land transactions, some GST issues related to land transactions and the documentation required around GST in real estate interactions and transactions.

1.5 Hours | Updated 2022 | Applicable to all sectors

This topic explains the licensee’s obligations in terms of the LIM, the lawyer’s role, the significance of the LIM at key stages of the sale and purchase process, the red flags that can be found in a LIM and a description of the best practices in communication with sellers and buyers regarding LIMs.

1.5 Hours | Updated 2021 | Applicable to all sectors

You are encouraged to develop your own marketing to build your profile and broaden client contact opportunities.

This topic covers where you must display your agency details and confirmation of licensing, when you are allowed to offer or market a property, the rules that set out advertising, marketing and price, the importance of client confidentiality and disclosing defects about a property, the implications of the Fair Trading Act 1986 and the disclosure obligations for properties sold ‘as is/where is’.

1.5 Hours | Updated 2025 | Applicable to all sectors

This topic covers some of the legislation relevant to real estate agency work and its implications for licensees. In particular, Council Bylaws, the Privacy Act, Overseas Investment Act, Fair Trading Act and the Contracts and Commercial Law Act. Under Rule  5.2 licensees have obligations to have sound knowledge of the Act, regulations and legislation relevant to real estate agency work.

1.5 Hours | 2023 | Applicable to all non-residential sectors

Licensees need to know how the Purchase Price Allocation Rules (PPA Rules) apply to real estate transactions and to advise clients to obtain legal and tax advice before entering a transaction.

This topic covers the PPA Rules. Within the PPA Rules, you look at the asset classes, requirements for an agreement between the vendor and buyer, the ‘unilateral allocation’ process and exceptions, the practical application, and the terms used in the PPA Rules.

1.5 Hours | Updated 2021 | Applicable to all sectors

When appraising or inspecting a property, it is important to be alert to any visible signs of actual or potential problems in the land, structure of the building or any other indicators.

This topic explains the requirements for physical inspection of a property, key aspects to consider and indications of possible issues when inspecting land, buildings and other structures, the requirements for decks, balconies, verandas and other property improvements and the requirements regarding claims made in relation to damage of a property.

1.5 Hours | 2020 | Applicable to rural sector

This topic explains what information a licensee needs to gather prior to listing a rural property, what are the key environmental documents that might be included in a Property Information File, the licensee’s role in requesting information from the vendor and the common ‘red flags’ in a rural sale situation.

1.5 Hours | 2022 | Applicable to all sectors

Supervisors, agents and branch managers hold a key role in real estate agencies. Active involvement in your supervisee’s development is an integral part of the supervision process with supervision being tailored to individual ability and performance.

This topic explains the agency’s obligations regarding supervision and management of salespeople, including the designated supervisor’s obligations of a salesperson.

1.5 Hours | 2021 | Applicable to all sectors

Licensees need to have a thorough knowledge of the property they are going to sell , including where the property being sold is a bare section or a ‘house and land’ package that is bought ‘off the plans’. This topic explains the subdivision process, what is required to ‘know the property’ the licensee is selling, the common issues when selling sections in a subdivision and the common issues in selling off ‘as built’ plans.

1.5 Hours | 2026 | Applicable to all sectors

This Unit titles and cross leases topic covers the various types of property ownership, the key aspects of the Unit Titles Act 2010 and Property Law Act 2007, how to apply the legislation, how to communicate key aspects of unit title and property law to customers, the importance of advising parties to seek legal advice and how to identify potential risks and issues.

1.5 Hours | 2023 | Applicable to all sectors

This topic introduces Māori culture, customs, language, Te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi) and its modern applications in legislation relevant to real estate. Insights into Te Ao Māori include the deep relationship of whenua (land) to Māori and concepts of tikanga that may arise in real estate work, including guidance on issues that have been raised with REA through consumer enquiries and complaints.

1.5 Hours | Updated 2025 | Applicable to all sectors

Trust account obligations exist for the protection of consumers and their funds. This topic covers the legal requirements, common issues and recent case law which highlights the importance of the Real Estate Agents Act 2008 and Real Estate Agents (Audit) Regulations 2009, in respect of trust accounts.

2 Hours | 2022 | Applicable to all sectors

The licensee fiduciary relationship to their client is one of utmost trust and good faith.

This topic covers your legal obligations to all parties involved in the real estate transaction, obligations when establishing an agency relationship, obligations when marketing a property and negotiating a sale and purchase agreement and obligations after the sale and purchase agreement is signed.

2 Hours | 2024 | Applicable to Business Sector

Licensees should be confident navigating the often complex transfer of business ownership transactions. This topic covers due diligence expectations when obtaining financial information about a business you are selling, the obligations of disclosure on vendors and the salespersons role in ensuring proper disclosure, how to analyse the key financial information of a business and how to apply guidance to clients and customers of what key information is available.

2 Hours | 2020 | Applicable to all sectors

The relationship you form with the buyer or potential buyer and the information and guidance you provide to them is vital to the successful completion of the purchase process.

This topic explains the different buyer groups and their key challenges, the role of the licensee in dealing with buyers and sellers, the tools available to help consumers through the home buying process and the key stages of the home buying process from the perspective of the buyer and the associated role of the licensee.

2 Hours | Updated 2022 | Applicable to all sectors

This topic covers what disclosure means, the important legislation and the Rules, the consent of the client-vendor/lessor to disclose, disclosure obligations in relation to sections 134 and 137, the financial benefit from transaction, disclosure of material facts to customers, the information licensees need to disclose, the methamphetamine disclosure requirements and the red flags.

2 Hours | 2020 | Applicable to all sectors

One way to look at ethics is in terms of ‘culture and conduct’.

This topic explains the key concepts related to ethics, how ethics are applied in day-to-day real estate agency work, the ethical considerations in disclosure situations and the obligations of licensees in reporting misconduct or unsatisfactory conduct.

2 Hours | 2022 | Applicable to all sectors

Licensees should have a thorough knowledge of the property they are selling. This topic covers the research required in a property at listing time, the key focus when asking questions of the seller at listing time, the implications of having insufficient knowledge about a property for the appraisal listing and marketing stages and the implications of having insufficient knowledge about a property in relation to disclosure obligations.

2 Hours | Updated 2021 | Applicable to all sectors

It is essential for licensees to understand the Record of title and the Land Information Memorandum (LIM) report. This topic covers what essential documents are and where to find them, what is in a record of title and summary of the key elements found on a record of title and an explanation of the different types of legal tenure.

2 Hours | 2022 | Applicable to all sectors

Managing the sales process is a crucial part of your real estate agency work. This topic covers the technical terms used in the sales process, the strategies to improve seller and potential buyer understanding of the sales process, the key points to cover when outlining different sales methods and the best practice actions to mitigate issues.

2 Hours | 2020 | Applicable to rural sector

Due diligence is critical to the best practice from rural licensees and there are complex requirements of rural licensees to ensure the information in a memorandum is correct.

This topic explains licensee due diligence requirements related to legal and council documentation, when inspecting a property, obtaining information from the clients, providers, authorities and specialists and the significance of recording and reporting as part of the licensee due diligence process.

2 Hours | Updated 2023 | Applicable to all sectors

As a licensee it is important you have a sound understanding of how a sale and purchase agreement works. This topic covers the difference between a contractual warranty and a contractual condition, the key clauses and their implications for the sale process, the key requirements for clauses added to the Further Terms of Sale, when and why issues can arise during the sale and purchase process with how to prevent them and the remedies when there are issues with the agreement.

1 Hour | 2025 | Applicable to all sectors

Effective communication is a key obligation of licensees to ensure all parties experience a real estate transaction process which is fair and equitable.

This topic explains communication requirements at key points in the real estate transaction process and covers the importance of carrying out your duties for all people including those with diverse needs, the delivery of effective and appropriate communication to your clients and customers and how to make use of the resources and tools available.