Report | Intelligent Investment

New Zealand Residential Valuer Insights – Q1 2026

March 25, 2026 11 Minute Read

By Craig Russell Tamba Carleton

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CBRE’s Q1 2026 Residential Valuer Insights report provides a timely snapshot of the New Zealand residential property market, based on feedback from 36 valuers across the country.


The survey shows housing demand is broadly balanced, first home buyers remain the most active buyer group, and house values are expected to remain mostly stable over the next 12 months. Demand continues to favour standalone and recently renovated homes, while sentiment towards lifestyle properties and vacant land remains generally steady.

The survey was conducted in mid March 2026, around two weeks after conflict in the Middle East escalated.

About the Survey

  • 36

    Residential Valuers Surveyed

  • 850+

    Independent Residential Valuations per Month

  • 17

    Locations Represented (Nationwide Coverage)

Key Findings

  1. Balanced housing market demand

    Demand for housing in New Zealand has experienced a slight downward shift between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026, with fewer valuers reporting strong market conditions in their respective areas and more reporting balance. Compared to a year ago, the housing market is much more stable.

  2. First home buyers continue to dominate

    First home buyers have remained the most active buyer profile among all areas. For the first three quarters of 2025 they were reported as a top 4 buyer group for over 90% of valuers. In our most recent survey this has strengthened to record 97%.

  3. Standalone properties are the most popular

    Standalone houses, recently renovated properties, and new standalone dwellings have experienced an increase in demand. In each of our 2025 surveys, standalone homes continued to increase, and in the Q1 2026 survey 63% of valuers reported increased demand. It appears that market conditions are limiting the need for buyers to compromise.  

  4. A little less confident around future demand

    Demand expectations in the most recent survey have declined from Q4 2025. Although more than half of valuers are expecting demand to increase slightly over the coming year, the proportion is below that of all 2025 results, with a few valuers expecting demand to decline over 2026.

  5. Housing values are expected to remain stable

    Two thirds (56%) of valuers surveyed expect house values in their area to remain stable in the next 12 months. A further third (39%) expect prices to increase by up to 5%. These figures represent a sizeable decline in sentiment compared to last quarter.

  6. Little growth expected for lifestyle properties

    Overall sentiment remains steady for lifestyle properties, with 68% of valuers expecting prices to remain stable over the next 12 months. Growth expectations have eased since last quarter, with a small portion expecting values to fall in certain markets.

  7. Vacant land expected to be mostly stable

    Although market conditions have been difficult in the past few years, 72% of valuers expect vacant land values in their area to remain stable over the next 12 months, a higher proportion than what was reported for Q4 2025. The results for Q1 2026 are indicate less volatility than a year ago, with no extreme changes currently anticipated.   

  8. Some moderation in supply expectations

    Expectations of future supply to the market for the next 12 months have reduced. There are fewer valuers anticipating an increase in new listings volumes compared with last quarter, and a higher proportion than Q4 expect supply to remain the same.

Types of Residential Property We Value

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