Sell your home with our tailored solution for you.
Sell with us- 21st Jun 2026
Lifestyle is now influencing almost every buyer segment.
On paper, they have little in common.
A family searching for more space. A couple returning from overseas. Downsizers entering their next chapter. International buyers discovering New Zealand for the first time.
Yet they're all helping drive one of the strongest trends to emerge from New Zealand Sotheby's International Realty's latest Property Pulse. Demand for lifestyle property has increased by 22 per cent since our previous survey, as a growing mix of buyers seek homes that offer more than just a place to live.
The shift isn't simply about lifestyle properties becoming more popular. It's about lifestyle becoming one of the defining influences on how – and where – people choose to live.
Lifestyle means something different today
While houses remain New Zealand's most sought-after property type, lifestyle property recorded one of the largest increases in demand across the latest survey, rising from 37 per cent of agents identifying it as one of the most in-demand sectors in Q4 2025 to 45 per cent in Q2 2026.
Another evolution emerging in the lifestyle market is the broadening definition of what buyers are looking for. While the classic rural block still holds enduring appeal, today's lifestyle property could just as easily be a coastal retreat, an architect-designed home on the urban fringe, a boutique vineyard or an equestrian estate. Increasingly, it's not acreage that's driving demand, but the opportunity to enjoy a different way of living.
Award-winning lifestyle property: This Waikato estate offers architectural excellence in an extraordinary rural setting. View the property here.
That demand is also becoming more geographically diverse. While destinations such as Queenstown, Wānaka, Cambridge, Havelock North, Nelson and the Kāpiti Coast continue to be synonymous with lifestyle living, agents are also reporting growing interest across coastal Northland, Marlborough and parts of metropolitan Auckland. The common thread isn't geography, but buyers seeking space, privacy, flexibility and a stronger connection to place.
A diverse mix of buyers is driving demand
One of the strongest emerging buyer groups is returning New Zealanders. The latest Property Pulse recorded a significant increase in expat activity compared with our previous survey, reflecting renewed interest from Kiwis choosing to come home. For many, the appeal extends beyond the property itself to the lifestyle New Zealand offers – open space, outdoor recreation, strong communities and the opportunity to raise a family in an environment that feels increasingly rare on the global stage.
International buyers are also beginning to play a larger role. More than half of surveyed agents reported increased enquiry following changes to the Active Investor Plus visa settings, with New Zealand's stability, natural beauty and quality of life continuing to attract interest from overseas.
Country living, city convenience: This Auckland lifestyle property offers complete privacy just a short commute from Auckland CBD. View the property here.
Closer to home, changing family dynamics are creating another source of demand. Growing and multi-generational families are looking for homes that offer flexibility as life evolves – whether that's room for children to play, dedicated work-from-home spaces, accommodation for grandparents or adult children, or simply enough space to bring everyone together. Lifestyle properties often provide the adaptability that modern family living increasingly demands.
Downsizing doesn't always mean going smaller
The survey also suggests today's downsizers are redefining what the next move looks like. Rather than simply exchanging the family home for a townhouse or apartment, many are choosing to right-size into properties that better suit the next stage of life. That might mean a beautifully designed home on the edge of town, a boutique lifestyle holding or a coastal retreat with room for visiting children and grandchildren.
Waterfront: This Wānaka lifestyle property combines direct river frontage with timeless character and park-like grounds. View the home here.
Lifestyle is shaping the next chapter of the market
While each of these buyer groups arrives with different motivations, they're united by a common priority. Rather than reacting to short-term market movements, they're making considered decisions based on how they want to live over the coming decade. That broader shift is reflected throughout the latest Property Pulse, where location remains the single most important factor influencing purchasing decisions and buyers continue to take a more measured approach to finding the right property.
For vendors, that's an important insight. Buyers are increasingly responding to homes that offer more than bedrooms, bathrooms or land area. They're looking for properties that tell a lifestyle story – one of flexibility, wellbeing, connection and longevity.
A very special lifestyle: a remarkable Northland waterfront property on the market for the first time in 35 years. View the property here.