July's Monthly Rental Market Update
Rental market holds firm through winter
The rental market held firm through July according to the latest data from Barfoot & Thompson’s portfolio of more than 22,000 homes across Auckland, Northland and Bay of Plenty.
The number of enquiries about available properties for rent rose 10.5% in July, compared to June, with more than 26,000 queries received through the month.
To meet demand, Barfoot & Thompson hosted over 5,300 property viewings, 8.5% more than in June, supporting an 11.8% increase in attendance.
There were also more applications for homes in July, up 11.5% on June, leading to 650 properties being let, up 8.7% on June.
“There was strong activity at every stage of the rental process during July, with more people searching, viewing, applying for and moving into homes,” says Anil Anna, General Manager Property Management at Barfoot & Thompson.
“This is a particularly solid level of renter engagement for the middle of winter and a clear lift from the quieter conditions seen in June.”
Compared with the same period last year, enquiries were down 2.2% and the number of properties rented was also down 3.8%. However, viewing attendance was steady and applications were up 10.0% year-on-year.
“Those modest year-on-year declines need to be considered against the particularly high levels of activity recorded in July 2025, which was a stand-out month for the rental market, seeing the highest level of enquiries and the highest number of properties rented during the year.
“Against that backdrop, activity this July held relatively close to last year’s levels, while applications were well ahead. This points to the market maintaining some strength while finding a more balanced and consistent pattern.”
The agency ended July with 777 properties available for rent, broadly unchanged from 772 at the end of June and 3.2% fewer than a year ago.
“Available stock remained steady even as more properties were rented, continuing to provide choice for renters while reinforcing the need for landlords to be realistic about price and presentation.”
The average weekly rent across the company’s Auckland portfolio was $699.03 in July, up 86 cents from June and up 0.9%, or $6.01 a week, on July last year. Northland and Bay of Plenty rents also moved less than 0.2% on last month’s local averages.
“Feedback from property managers across our network continues to highlight the popularity of well-presented, stand-alone, family-sized homes, while smaller homes – particularly terraced properties – and high-end homes in some areas, are slower to attract renter interest.”
Barfoot & Thompson’s Property Management division operates in company branches across Auckland, Northland and Bay of Plenty. It is New Zealand’s largest private residential property management company, managing 22,000+ rental properties and employing more than 300 property managers and support staff.
In Auckland, it manages around 20,500 properties at any one time. Three-bedroom properties represent over a third of this portfolio, followed by two-bedroom properties at just over a quarter. Across Auckland, it manages the most properties in West Auckland (>2,500), followed closely by South Auckland, North Shore and the Eastern city fringe suburbs. The division’s data from Central Auckland is made up of almost entirely apartments.
In January 2026, the agency was recognised as the Best International Lettings/Rentals Agency at the 2025-26 International Property and Hotel Awards.
Rental Activity*
| July 2026 | June 2026 | Previous 3-month average | June 2025 |
| Average weekly rent – Auckland $699.03 |
$698.17 -- |
$697.43 -- |
$693.02 +0.9% |
| Properties rented – All 650 |
598 +8.7% |
605 +7.5% |
676 -3.8% |
| Month end properties available – All 777 |
772 +0.6% |
726 +7.0% |
803 -3.2% |
| Enquiries – All 26,176 |
23,696 +10.5% |
24,915 +5.1% |
26,758 -2.2% |
| Viewings – All 5,336 |
4,916 +8.5% |
4,326 +23.3% |
5,600 -4.7% |
| Shown through – All 9,063 |
8,107 +11.8% |
8,397 +7.9% |
8,987 +0.8% |
| Applications – All 3,387 |
3,083 +11.5% |
3,174 +6.7% |
3,080 +10.0% |
* Glossary of terms: Average weekly rent is specific to properties in the Auckland region. All other figures are from Barfoot & Thompson's total portfolio. Properties rented includes any property let during the month including new properties and new tenancies at already managed properties. Month end properties available is the number of properties listed for rent at the end of the calendar month. Enquiries is the total number of enquiries via the Barfoot & Thompson website, third-party sites, phone calls and emails. Viewings is the total number of open and by appointment viewings hosted at listed properties during the month. Shown through is the number of individuals or groups registered to attend any viewing. Applications are complete applications received to rent a listed property.
Released on behalf of Barfoot & Thompson by Network Communication: Megan Green, 027 221 7126, megan.green@networkcommunication.co.nz
Barfoot & Thompson is New Zealand's largest private residential property management company, managing more than 22,000 properties.
For more information contact a property manager or to find out how much rent you can achieve, ask for a rental appraisal.
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