June's Monthly Rental Market Update
Rental market settles into winter
Barfoot & Thompson’s latest rental data shows most measures of renter interest and activity eased in June, settling down from its summer highs and into the cooler winter months.
During June, enquiries about available properties were down 10.9 percent on May, but up 18.0 percent year-on-year, while the number of groups attending property viewings was down 9.7 percent on May, but up 17.9 percent year-on-year.
The number of applications was down by 6.1 percent on May, but up 17.6 percent year-on-year, and the number of properties let was down 6.9 percent on May, but up 4.0 percent on a year ago.
“While we’ve seen a decline in activity recently, enquiries, property viewings and applications remain well ahead of last year, telling us that renters are still engaged with the market,” says Anil Anna, General Manager Property Management at Barfoot & Thompson.
When looking at medium-term trends, he says the rolling three-month averages show the market is cooling following a recent rebound over summer and into March 2026, when many of the most recent peaks were recorded.
“The market is coming off recent seasonal highs, and appears to be settling in for the often quieter winter months.”
The agency ended June with 10.9 percent more properties available for rent than at the end of May.
“While some areas, like parts of East Auckland, are continuing to experience lower stock levels, many areas are seeing steady or increasing stock, offering greater choice for those exploring the market,” says Anil.
“Landlords’ expectations need to be aligned with current conditions, and pricing and presentation need to be competitive from the outset.”
He says modern homes that are warm and dry, and offer above-standard heating and comforts, are proving most popular, especially at this time of year: “It's essential for landlords to maintain continuous Healthy Homes compliance, and exceeding standards can set homes apart from the rest.”
Pricing insights from across the company’s portfolio of more than 22,000 rental homes in Auckland, Northland and Bay of Plenty, showed largely stable pricing.
Compared to last month, the average weekly rents paid in Northland and Bay of Plenty moved by 0.3 percent and 0.5 percent respectively. In Auckland, where the company manages more than 20,500 homes, the average price in June was $698.17, largely unchanged from May and up 0.9 percent year-on-year.
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*
| June 2026 | June 2026 | Previous 3-month average | June 2025 |
| Average weekly rent – Auckland $698.17 |
$697.82 -- |
$696.82 -- |
$691.98 +0.9% |
| Properties rented – All 598 |
642 -6.9% |
644 -7.1% |
575 +4.0% |
| Month end properties available – All 772 |
696 +10.9% |
690 +11.8% |
844 -8.5% |
| Enquiries – All 23,696 |
26,597 -10.9% |
27,920 -15.1% |
20,082 +18.0% |
| Viewings – All 4,916 |
4,444 +10.6% |
4,301 +14.3% |
4,798 +2.5% |
| Shown through – All 8,107 |
8,973 -9.7% |
9,298 -12.8% |
6,874 +17.9% |
| Applications – All 3,038 |
3,236 -6.1% |
3,554 -14.5% |
2,584 +17.6% |
* 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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