A new survey from realestate.co.nz has revealed that nearly a quarter of New Zealanders have made a home purchase without intending to — a trend that’s raising eyebrows and highlighting the strong emotional pull of property.
According to the data*, 24 per cent of respondents said they had purchased a property at some stage despite not planning to, while 8 per cent had done so within the past year.
“Kiwis have a real affinity with property; browsing listings is almost a national pastime. Attending an open home or an auction can quickly turn from casual interest to serious investment when the right property catches your eye and the price feels within reach,” said Vanessa Williams, spokesperson for realestate.co.nz.
The survey, conducted between 9 and 13 June 2025, reflects responses from 1,045 New Zealanders, weighted by age, gender, personal income, ethnicity, and region to match the adult population.
The data show that these spontaneous buyers tend to have a personal income 54 per cent above the national average, with an average age of 30.2 years.
They are also more likely to be male (66 per cent versus 34 per cent female).
“The 2025 data is a telling sign of growing optimism among property buyers,” said Ms Williams.
“We haven’t seen this level of ‘accidental purchases’ since April 2022, which was coming off the back of a hot market.”
Aucklanders most likely to act on ompulse
The findings show Auckland leads the trend, with 51 per cent of accidental buyers based in the city — a notable contrast to the 31 per cent average across all regions.
“While it’s important to have a property investment plan that works for you and your personal circumstances, the property market can provide numerous opportunities for those with an open mind – something a fairly significant portion of the population seems to already know well,” said Ms Williams.
*The survey was conducted between 9 and 13 June 2025 and included responses from 1,045 New Zealanders. Results were weighted by key demographics including age, gender, income, ethnicity, and region to ensure they reflect national representation. The findings carry a margin of error of ±3 per cent overall.
