Auckland leads consents growth
New Zealand saw 33,879 new homes consented in the year ended July 2025, down just 0.1% from the previous year, according to Stats NZ. Stand-alone house consents rose 1.7%, while multi-unit consents fell overall.
The result comes as the property market shows renewed momentum, with August listings up 9% year-on-year and prices holding steady. Lower interest rates and greater choice are encouraging more buyers and sellers to act this spring.
Apartment consents jump, townhouses and retirement units fall
Within the multi-unit category, apartment consents bucked the trend. “Apartment consents rose in both monthly and annual terms this July,” said Stats NZ economic indicators spokesperson Michelle Feyen in a media release.
Over the year, 2,270 apartments were consented – up 26% – while townhouses, flats, and units dropped 3.4% to 14,441, and retirement village units fell 16% to 1,483. Stand-alone house consents totaled 15,685 for the year.
Auckland powers apartment growth
Auckland, which continued its trend of solid property sales in August, drove much of the apartment surge, with 1,496 apartments consented – up 57% from the previous year.
“After a steep drop in apartment consents last year, we’re now seeing growth led by Auckland,” Feyen said. Total dwelling consents in Auckland rose 5% to 14,347.
Other regions mostly saw declines in total dwelling consents: Canterbury (down 2.6%), Waikato (down 7.1%), and Wellington (down 7.4%). Otago was the exception, up 15% to 2,433 consents.
Monthly trends: Apartments up, houses down
In July 2025, 3,252 new homes were consented, a 3.0% drop from July 2024. This included 1,512 stand-alone houses (down 10%), 135 retirement village units (down 42%), 1,413 townhouses/flats/units (up 6.0%), and 192 apartments (up 92%).
Stats NZ noted that apartment consent numbers can fluctuate monthly due to large projects.
In seasonally adjusted terms, new home consents rose 5.4% in July compared to June, following a 6% fall the previous month.
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