PHOTO: How to Get Into the Housing Market with Just $80 — Yes, Really!
If you’ve ever felt locked out of the New Zealand property market — you’re not alone. Soaring house prices, brutal bank lending criteria, and the great Kiwi dream slipping further out of reach have become all too common.
But what if you could invest in residential real estate for less than the cost of a tank of petrol?
🚨 Introducing HomeShare — a bold new fintech start-up that’s giving everyday New Zealanders a foot on the property ladder for as little as $80.
🧩 What Is HomeShare — and How Does It Work?
Founded by entrepreneur Martin van Blerk, HomeShare is a fractional property investment platform that allows people to buy shares in actual Kiwi homes, starting from just one share at $80.
The platform has been developed in collaboration with the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) through their regulatory sandbox, which supports innovative finance tech in a secure, test-driven environment.
Here’s how it works:
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🏘️ Each property is independently valued, then split into 10,000 shares.
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💵 You can buy one share or many (e.g., $800 = 10 shares in an $800,000 house).
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💰 Shareholders earn rental income, proportionate to their ownership.
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🔁 Investors can sell shares through HomeShare’s secondary marketplace.
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🧾 All fees are transparent, with 0.95% for first-home buyers.
Martin van Blerk is aiming for an October launch for HomeShare. Photo: Supplied/Susan Edmunds
📍 First Property? Hamilton. Goal? Nationwide.
HomeShare’s first investment property will be based in Hamilton, with a projected launch date set for October 2025. But this is just the beginning.
“Instead of buying one house in Auckland, you could own shares in 100 properties across New Zealand,” says van Blerk. “It’s a powerful way to diversify your risk and finally feel like you have a stake in the housing market.”
⚠️ Haven’t We Seen This Before?
Yes – but it flopped.
Both The Property Crowd and The Ownery previously tried fractional home ownership in New Zealand. The former had its license suspended by the FMA in 2022, and the latter barely sold a quarter of its shares back in 2016.
What makes HomeShare different?
✅ It’s compliant – developed within the FMA’s fintech sandbox.
✅ It’s accessible – with ultra-low entry points for investors.
✅ It’s designed for both homeowners and investors – first-home buyers and seasoned landlords alike.
🔑 A New Way Forward in Property Ownership?
HomeShare isn’t just a tech innovation — it could be a generational shift in how Kiwis think about wealth, property, and financial freedom.
In a market where average deposits now exceed $100,000, the idea that you can start investing with just $80 is both radical and refreshing.
Whether you’re looking to diversify your portfolio, build long-term wealth, or simply get your name in the game, this might be New Zealand’s most exciting new property product of the decade.
🌐 Ready to Buy a Piece of the Kiwi Dream?
HomeShare will go live in October 2025, with pre-registration opening soon at homeshare.co.nz