PHOTO: New data from the Real Estate Authority (REA) reveals a surge in the number of licensed real-estate professionals across New Zealand. FILE
📅 Published: November 2025
📍 Source: Real Estate Authority (REA)
📊 Data Shows a Sharp Rise in New Licences
New data from the Real Estate Authority (REA) reveals a surge in the number of licensed real-estate professionals across New Zealand.
This spike comes as higher unemployment pushes more New Zealanders to explore real estate as a career change or side income.
➡️ The REA licensing statistics (as of November 2025) show steady month-on-month growth in new salesperson and branch-manager registrations — a trend reflecting wider economic pressures.
💼 Career Pivots: From Redundancy to Real Estate
With job cuts and hiring freezes hitting multiple sectors, the property industry is attracting a new wave of professionals.
Real estate offers:
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✅ Low entry barriers (after licensing)
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💰 Potentially uncapped income
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🕒 Flexible hours and autonomy
For many, that combination makes it a natural pivot during uncertain times.
REA licensing statistics (3 November 2025)
📉 Unemployment Up — Agent Numbers Follow
New Zealand’s unemployment rate has been trending higher through 2025, and the timing correlates strongly with the uptick in REA registrations.
As traditional employment tightens, real-estate training providers report more enrolments, and agencies say applications from career-changers are rising.
💬 “We’ve noticed a definite increase in new agents entering the market — many from completely different professions,” one franchise owner told PropertyNoise.
⚖️ More Agents, More Competition
While the boom in licence numbers boosts sector vitality, it also means:
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⚔️ Increased competition for listings and clients
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💸 Pressure on commissions and agency splits
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📚 Greater need for mentoring and quality training
For clients, this surge means more choice — but also a need to choose experienced agents who understand market trends and compliance obligations.
🔍 What It Means for the Market
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📈 More practitioners could enhance buyer-seller service options
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🧩 Potential fragmentation as many new entrants test the market
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🏡 Heightened scrutiny from the REA to maintain professional standards
The regulator continues to remind agents of their legal and ethical obligations, even as numbers grow rapidly.
💡 Expert Insight: Labour Market Adapts
Economists see this trend as part of a broader labour-market adjustment, with workers seeking self-employment and commission-based roles amid layoffs and automation.
➡️ In short: Real estate is becoming a safety net career path.
🧠 What To Watch Next
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🎓 More demand for licensing courses
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🧾 Increased compliance monitoring
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🏢 Agencies becoming more selective in recruitment
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📉 Possible short-term oversupply of agents in slower housing markets
🧭 Bottom Line
The jump in real-estate agent licences across New Zealand reflects how economic uncertainty and higher unemployment are reshaping career pathways.
While competition intensifies, it also re-energises an industry that thrives on motivation, resilience, and results.