Market on the Move! Why Autumn 2025 Is Shaping Up to Be a Hot Season for NZ Property | REPORT - Property News AU/NZ | propertynoise.co.nz & propertynoise.com.au

PHOTO: FILE

The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) has just dropped its March data—and there’s plenty of good news to go around for buyers and sellers alike.

As we ease into autumn, traditionally a quieter season, the national property market is showing strong signs of life.

“As we transition into the cooler months, the market remains vibrant rather than stagnant,” says Acting Chief Executive Rowan Dixon. “Increased open home attendance and post-auction interest are strong indicators of a resilient buyer base.”

Key March 2025 National Stats at a Glance:

Sales Up 12.8%: Sales rose from 6,774 in March 2024 to 7,640 this year
Regional Surge: NZ (excluding Auckland) saw a 14.2% increase—Tasman (+48.6%) and West Coast (+23.6%) led the charge
Listings Up 5.0%: More Kiwis are listing their homes as confidence grows
Median Price Dip: National median fell by 1.4% to $790,000, while NZ (excluding Auckland) dropped 2.1% to $700,000
Inventory Climbs: Up 10.9% year-on-year, giving buyers more options
Auction Share: 15.8% of all sales occurred under the hammer
Time to Sell: Median days to sell increased by 3 to 41 days nationally

Regional Highlights

Tasman: 48.6% jump in sales—the highest since records began for March
Canterbury: Highest sales count since March 2021
Gisborne: Leading the way with a 23.8% increase in new listings
West Coast: Median price surged by 11.5% to $412,500

On the flip side, Nelson saw the most significant drop in median price—down 11.4% to $640,000. Taranaki and Canterbury held steady with no change year-on-year.

Commentary from REINZ

“This growth suggests that lowering interest rates and competitive pricing are motivating buyers,” says Dixon. “Even outside the big cities, demand is climbing—showing strong market health nationwide.”

With more listings and higher inventory, buyers are less pressured, knowing they won’t miss out if they let one property go. Meanwhile, sellers are becoming more active, anticipating a steadier market due to falling interest rates and a predicted OCR cut.

House Price Index (HPI) Snapshot

NZ’s HPI fell 0.7% year-on-year to 3,632
Month-on-month, it slipped 0.6% from February
Over five years, NZ’s HPI has grown at an average annual rate of 3.7%
Southland remains the top-performing region for HPI movement—nine months in a row!

Inventory & Listings Surge

Inventory: Up in 14 of 15 regions compared to last year
Listings: Up in 12 of 15 regions—Gisborne and West Coast posted 20%+ jumps
Taranaki has seen inventory growth for 41 consecutive months
Wellington has posted 20%+ YOY inventory growth for 11 months running
Otago has experienced 30%+ YOY inventory spikes for 9 months

Auctions & Days to Sell

1,204 properties sold at auction in March, representing 15.8% of total sales—slightly down from 17.2% in March 2024
National median days to sell: 41 days (up 3 days from 2024)
Taranaki and Waikato saw their quickest sales since 2022

Final Word from REINZ

“As the OCR continues to drop and confidence builds, we expect the market to maintain this forward momentum into the winter months,” concludes Dixon. “There’s a new energy returning—especially in regional New Zealand.”

For media enquiries:
Communications and Engagement Team
communications@reinz.co.nz

Fact Sheet Summary:

National sales up 12.8% | Excl. Auckland up 14.2%
Listings up 5.0% nationally | Inventory up 10.9%
Median days to sell up by 3 days to 41
West Coast led price growth (11.5%)
Auctions made up 15.8% of all sales
Southland tops HPI chart again