One In Two Think NZ's Housing Is On The Wrong Track

New Zealand / Aotearoa, 29 January 2025 – The latest Ipsos New Zealand Housing Monitor reveals that...

Ipsos New Zealand has released its Housing Monitor 2025, part of the latest Ipsos Global Advisor study. More than 22,000 people across 30 countries were surveyed, including approximately 1,000 people in New Zealand.

The report shows some common themes in public opinion towards housing globally, where for most markets home ownership is the dream and all age groups, and everywhere thinking that rising house prices are not a good thing. Compared to the global average, New Zealanders are more likely to be happy with their current housing situation; however, the report shows some key differences in housing satisfaction between homeowners and renters, as well as the possibility of homeownership between generations.

Key findings for the New Zealand market include:

Renters much less satisfied than homeowners. 57% of renters in New Zealand say they are happy with their current housing situation compared to 82% of homeowners. This 25 percentage point gap in housing satisfaction between renters and owners is slightly larger than the global average of 23 percentage points*.

Aspiration for home ownership is strong but seen as out of reach for many. 80% of respondents agree that most people in NZ aspire to own their own home. For renters, 83% say they would like to own their own home; however, 62% of renters don't believe they will ever be able to afford it.

New Zealanders see housing situation worsening over generations. 74% think it is harder for people their age to buy/rent a home compared to their parents' generation, higher than the global average of 67%. Additionally, 81% of under 35s in New Zealand hold this view.

Majority say housing is on the wrong track and the government has role to play. 54% of New Zealanders think the country is on the wrong track when it comes to housing and 60% disagree that there isn't much the government can do about housing problems.

High property prices seen as top housing challenge, followed by cost of renting. 51% cite high property prices as the biggest housing challenge, while 49% point to high costs of renting. Renters are much more likely than owners to see cost of renting as the top issue (70% vs 37%).

Suburban detached home remains the ideal for many. 41% of New Zealanders say a detached home in the suburbs is their preferred living situation, followed by a rural home (23%). Inner-city apartments (12%) and detached homes (12%) are less popular options.

Location and affordability drive perceptions of a good home. New Zealanders consider a good location (49%), value for money (39%), low crime rate (35%), outdoor space (29%) and privacy (28%) as the most important property characteristics.

Carin Hercock, Country Manager, Ipsos New Zealand, said: “New Zealanders are one of the top five countries to say they are happy with their current living situation. However, in comparison to the global average, we also believe that even if they work hard, the dream of home ownership is much less achievable for the younger generation. More than half of New Zealanders also say we are on the wrong track when it comes to housing and that the government has a role to play to help deal with housing issues.”

Amanda Dudding, Executive Director Public Affairs, Ipsos New Zealand, added: “Our research shows a big difference in housing satisfaction for renters, which is significantly lower than for homeowners in New Zealand. More renters are also concerned about their ability to pay housing costs over the next 12 months than homeowners. While most homeowners and renters feel that home ownership provides security in life, two thirds of renters don’t believe they will ever be able to afford to buy one.”
 

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