Property decisions aren't on hold, the regions are proving it

What today’s property market could mean for your next move

There are plenty of reasons you could wait to make your next property move. An election. Interest rates. The economy. The hope that the perfect property might come along next month. But New Zealanders aren't necessarily waiting. 

Despite an election on the horizon, recent research involving more than 2,000 active property buyers and homeowners found only 20% of sellers and 22% of buyers considered it a primary influence on their property decisions.

Even more tellingly, 25% of prospective sellers surveyed were planning to list their property in October, with another 13% intending to come to market before the end of September. It points to something we're seeing in communities across New Zealand - when people have a reason to move, they're getting on with it.

And for buyers and sellers prepared to look beyond the national headlines, there are some encouraging signs in the market.

Property values are showing resilience

The latest figures paint a picture of a market that has found a degree of stability. According to the latest REINZ figures, New Zealand's median residential sale price sat at $750,000 in August, just 1.3% below the same time last year. The REINZ House Price Index was even steadier, down only 0.9% year-on-year.

That's important context.

After several years of considerable movement in property values, we're now seeing a market where prices nationally are showing resilience, while individual regions are increasingly finding their own rhythm.For anyone thinking about making a move, that creates opportunity.

The regions are writing their own stories

Scratch beneath the national numbers and some of the most encouraging results are coming from regional New Zealand.Southland's median sale price reached $505,000 in August, up 7.4% year-on-year, with buyer demand exceeding available supply during winter. Tasman rose 5.6% to $830,000, while Northland was up 3.6%, the West Coast 2.5% and Canterbury 1.5%.

Across the South Island, every regional series in the REINZ House Price Index increased over the three months to August. Buyer behaviour also showed positive signs. In Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough, local salespeople reported improving enquiries, movement in properties that had been on the market longer, and more multi-offer situations. Canterbury continued to see active first-home buyers, good interest in new Christchurch listings and positive auction outcomes.

And in Southland, properties took a median of just 30 days to sell, faster than the region's 10-year August average of 35 days. We know that there simply isn’t one "New Zealand property market". Every town, city and region has its own balance of buyers, sellers, available property and local economic conditions.

And those differences can create opportunities that a national headline can't show you.

Buyers have something valuable: choice

There were 32,908 properties available nationally during August, with inventory 9.7% higher than the same time last year. For buyers, that's not necessarily something to be wary of. It's an opportunity. More choice lets people compare properties, take their time with due diligence, and make a considered decision about where their money is best spent.

That's particularly valuable for first-home buyers. Across many of the regions covered by the latest market report, first-home buyers were among the most active groups in August, including Auckland, Hawke's Bay, Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago and Southland. For people who have spent years building a deposit and waiting for an opportunity to get onto the property ladder, today's market offers something previous markets haven't always provided: time to look, compare and find the right property.

And good properties are still getting attention

Having more choice doesn't mean buyers aren't prepared to compete. Across the country, market feedback consistently shows that new, well-presented, and appropriately priced properties are attracting interest. In Waikato, new, well-presented and well-priced properties attracted stronger open-home attendance, with some auctions generating competitive bidding.

Hawke's Bay saw good attendance for new listings that were well presented or priced. In Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough, open-home attendance was strongest during the first weekend of campaigns, particularly at lower price points. Canterbury recorded steady to strong open-home attendance for properties suited to first-home buyers, alongside positive auction results. The lesson for sellers is positive: buyers are there. The opportunity is to make your property stand out from the competition and give buyers every reason to take notice.

We've seen what happens when buyers and sellers come together

Earlier this year, our Bid Day Out campaign gave us a strong indication of how much activity happens when properties come to market with the right strategy behind them. The nationwide auction event delivered more than $70 million in confirmed property sales, with 102 properties selling under the hammer and another 32 going under contract following the events. At the same time, 2,138 properties were brought to market across the Property Brokers network during January and February, 39% more than during the same period in 2025.

Those aren't the numbers of a market where everyone has stopped making decisions. They're evidence that when the right property meets the right buyer, people are prepared to act.

Selling and buying in the same market can work in your favour

For existing homeowners considering their next move, another important part of the equation matters. It's easy to focus entirely on what your current home might sell for. But unless you're leaving the property market altogether, that's only half the story. If you're selling and buying in the same market, the conditions influencing the value of your existing home are also influencing the property you want to purchase. Understanding how to approach your sale and prepare for what comes next can help you make your move with greater confidence.

So instead of concentrating solely on the sale price, it can be more useful to look at the gap between where you are and where you want to be. A market with more property available may give you greater choice for that next home. And if you've been waiting for the right opportunity to upsize, downsize or move somewhere different, today's conditions could be worth exploring.

Don't wait for a national headline to tell you when to move

No one can perfectly pick the top or bottom of a property cycle. And with regional markets increasingly moving in different directions, trying to time the New Zealand market becomes even less useful. The better question is much closer to home - What's happening in my local market, and what could that mean for me? In one region, limited listings might be creating stronger competition between buyers. Somewhere else, greater choice might create an opportunity to secure the home you've been waiting for. Even within the same town, conditions can vary between property types, suburbs and price brackets.

That's where local knowledge matters. For more than 40 years, Property Brokers has been part of the heart of provincial New Zealand. Our people live and work in the communities they serve, and they understand the buyers, properties and market conditions behind the numbers.So, if you've been wondering whether now could be the right time to sell, buy, move up the property ladder or simply understand what your home could be worth, don't let the headlines make the decision for you.

Start with what's happening where you live. Talk to your local Property Brokers team about your property plans and find out what today's market could mean for your next move.

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