u/Vanessa_realestate

Maybe. Canterbury’s property market just hit an 18-year high, with an average asking price of $735,798 in April 2026, up 3.8% year-on-year (data from realestate.co.nz).

That stands out because the national average asking price has been relatively flat for more than three years.

Christchurch City itself was up 8.5% year-on-year to an average asking price of $728,516, still below the national average asking price of $869,763.

Some Canterbury districts saw even bigger increases:

• Mackenzie: +38.8%
• Banks Peninsula: +22.3%
• Ashburton: +7.8%
• Timaru: +6.2%

Not every district increased:

• Waimate: -12.1%
• Hurunui: -9.7%
• Waimakariri: -6.4%
• Selwyn: -1.3%

New listings across Canterbury were also up 4.8% year-on-year in April.

Not “3 bedrooms” or “2 bathrooms”.

More like:

• Pizza oven
• Spa pool
• Fire pit
• Window seat
• Playhouse
• Concrete floors

What’s yours?

Okay, here’s a situation I’d love to get people’s thoughts on.

 A homeowner bought near the peak of the market in late 2020. Since then, life has moved on - kids arrived, finances changed, and the house no longer really fits their needs. The problem is the market has shifted too. Their property is now worth around $250k less than what they paid.

 So they feel stuck between two tough options: 

• Sell now, take the loss, and move somewhere that works better for their family and finances
• Stay put, hope the market recovers, but keep dealing with the pressure of a house that isn’t really working for them anymore

 It raises some questions:

Does selling in a down market always mean making the wrong decision?

Is it better to hold on and wait for prices to recover?

Or should life changes (kids, stress, cashflow) take priority over trying to avoid a loss on paper?

 

If you were in this situation, what would you do?

Sell and move on with life?

Or hold on and ride it out?

Keen to hear how others would think through a decision like this.

I'm interested to know what hidden costs have caught you off guard when buying a home here in New Zealand?

I recently spoke with Frances Cook of Making Cents and we talked through the true cost of buying a home in New Zealand, and some of the expenses that can derail your plans if you’re not prepared.

Things like: legal fees, building inspections, meth or asbestos testing, unexpected repair issues in older homes, the extra cash you need on hand before going unconditional. Or in my case, needing to replace the 105-year-old water cylinder... and then having to replace the pipes because they weren't compatible with the new cylinder!

I want to hear from those of you who’ve been through the process. What hidden costs surprised you when buying a home and what tips would you give others to help them prepare for the financial commitment that is home ownership?