The latest Auckland Council data paints a mixed picture of the region’s economy, with steady gains in housing activity but a dip in consumer confidence.

• Median house prices for February 2025 held steady at NZD 1.01 million.

• This matches 2016 levels (adjusted for inflation) and is 5% lower than a year ago.

• House sales have risen for five straight months, with 22,027 homes sold in the year to February—up 20% from the 2023 low.

Rental costs in Auckland average $698 per week in January.

This is higher than recent months but close to where they were one and two years ago.

Rents outside Auckland reached a record high of $ 652, driven by seasonal demand.

Building consent numbers are climbing slightly.

In the year to February 2025, 13,773 new homes were consented—still 37% below the 2022 peak but tracking just above mid-2024 levels.

Non-residential consents, however, continued to fall, with values down 24% year-on-year.

Meanwhile, Auckland seaports saw a 4% drop in import values compared to last year, although volumes remain well above the Covid-era low.

Imports totalled NZD 29.9 billion for the year to February 2025.

Consumer confidence has dipped.

The Westpac McDermott Miller Index measured 91.3 for the March quarter—mid-range for the post-Covid period, but lower than any year from 2009 to 2019.

Coasties keeping an eye on the wider economy may find comfort in the housing sector’s quiet rebound, though the mood on the ground remains cautious.

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