Wellington sellers win big with price premiums
New data from realestate.co.nz shows home sellers are, on average, securing more than their final asking price – signalling a renewed balance between buyer demand and vendor pricing.
An analysis of more than 53,000 residential properties listed and sold via realestate.co.nz between Jan. 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025, revealed that nationally, the average home sold for $3,930 more than its asking price.
Majority of regions seeing buyer-seller agreement
The analysis compared the listing and final sale prices in the same month using Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) sales data. Across New Zealand, home sellers asked for an average of $894,915 but achieved an average sale price of $898,845.
“The last 18 months have been tough for sellers, but we are seeing that by the time their home sells, vendors are getting realistic with their price expectations,” said Vanessa Williams (pictured), spokesperson for realestate.co.nz. “This seems to be having a surprisingly positive outcome, as they are ending up with slightly more than they bargained for.”
Out of the 19 regions tracked, eight recorded average sale prices above asking, while 11 regions saw buyers negotiating prices lower than vendors had anticipated.
Cotality’s latest Buyer Classification data confirms improving alignment between buyer and seller expectations, with first-home buyers maintaining a record-level 26% market share in Q2 2025, supported by low-deposit lending, KiwiSaver access and home values still 16% below peak.
Wellington home sellers pocket the biggest premiums
Wellington topped the list, with home sellers receiving an average of $17,185 more than their asking price. The average asking price in the capital was $901,484, while the average sale price hit $918,668.
Canterbury vendors followed closely, securing an average upside of $13,721, while Gisborne sellers netted an additional $11,835.
Buyers push back in Coromandel, Northland, and Waikato
In contrast, Coromandel recorded the largest shortfall, with vendors receiving $45,673 less than their asking price. The average listing price in the region was $1,116,914, compared to a selling price of $1,071,241.
Other regions where buyers drove a harder bargain included Northland, where homes sold for $14,117 less than asked, and Waikato, with a negative variance of $8,399.
“While we always want to see a deal taking place, the property market only functions when buyers and sellers are prepared to negotiate and make sacrifices,” Williams said.
“With more properties on the market and prices holding steady, successful transactions often come down to pricing that both parties can agree upon and open negotiation.”
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