Welcome to the May edition of Bayleys' In View

The Southern Lake residential median sale price for April 2026 was $610,000, increased by 23.2% on the $495,000 recorded in April 2025. The market  continues to demonstrate measured stability, with 14 total transactions recorded across all categories — matching the activity from the 14 sales recorded in the same period last year.

Across all categories the Southern Lake district recorded 14 sales in April 2026, comprising 12 residential, 1 rural, and 1 section transactions. Bayleys Turangi (Westerman Realty Limited) accounted for 3 of these sales, representing strong continued representation in the local market.

Activity in April was concentrated in the $700-799k band (3 sales), with steady engagement also observed across the upper price ranges. The lifestyle and lakeside segments continued to attract enquiry from out-of-region purchasers seeking a Southern Lake base.

The median days on market for residential sales sat at 78 days, decreased by 40.0% on the 130-day figure for the same period last year. Buyer enquiry remains positive heading into the cooler months, with vendors well-positioned to engage serious purchasers as winter listing activity increases.

In this month’s edition of Bayleys’ In View, Chris Farhi and Eos Li spoke with Johnny Sinclair and James Phelan on the Golden Visas and the sensitive land hurdle. The changes to New Zealand's Active Investor Plus rules allowing holders to buy one home valued more than $5m have drawn plenty of attention. Now the "5 million plus" scheme is live, our luxury agents are finding sensitive land rules are materially shaping the properties these buyers can realistically puruse. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how some people communicate. Bayleys Insights and Data team ran a survey and found residential property managers are increasingly seeing tenants use these tools in their interactions.

The oil shock resulting from the conflict in the Middle East has added uncertainty into the mix for 2026. Bayleys Insights and Data team ran a quarterly sentiment survey which captured real-time feedback from our agents across New Zealand. The survey points to a clear shift in sentiment, with agents reporting hesitation across the market. 

For many people considering a career change, real estate can feel like an industry reserved for a certain type of person. But for Bayleys salesperson Denise Dry talks about how real estate skills can come from anywhere and some of her strongest skills in real estate were built long before she set foot into an open home. 

If you have any questions about this month’s edition of In View, or would like support with your property journey, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.