New Home Consents Rise In January

There were 36,944 new homes consented in Aotearoa New Zealand in the year ended January 2026, up 9.3 percent compared with the year ended January 2025, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

"New home consents increased over the year, with multi-unit homes continuing to play a significant role in the annual rise," economic indicators spokesperson Michelle Feyen said.

Of the multi-unit homes consented in the year ended January 2026, compared with the year ended January 2025, there were:

• 16,175 townhouses, flats, and units (up 14 percent)
• 2,436 apartments (up 26 percent)
• 1,585 retirement village units (down 7.7 percent).

The number of stand-alone houses consented was 16,748, up 5.0 percent over the year.

Regional results

In the year ended January 2026, annual growth in new home consents was concentrated in several of New Zealand's largest regions.

Auckland recorded the largest number of new home consents in the year ended January 2026, with 15,779 new homes consented, up 13 percent compared with the previous year.

"Auckland accounted for nearly 60 percent of the national increase in new home consents over the year," Feyen said.

Canterbury recorded the second-largest volume, with 7,398 new homes consented, a 12 percent increase compared with the previous year.

Wellington saw one of the stronger annual increases, rising 16 percent to 2,142 homes consented.

Otago and Waikato also recorded increases, up 11 percent (to 2,674 homes) and 8.5 percent (to 3,028 homes), respectively.

Monthly results

In January 2026, 2,528 new homes were consented, up 15 percent from January 2025. This included:

• 1,190 stand-alone houses (up 10 percent)
• 189 retirement village units (up 110 percent)
• 145 apartments (up 113 percent)
• 1,004 townhouses, flats, and units (up 3.7 percent).

The number of multi-unit homes consented can fluctuate from month to month due to large projects.

In seasonally adjusted terms, the number of new homes consented rose 1.9 percent in January 2026, compared with December 2025. This follows a seasonally adjusted fall of 4.5 percent in December 2025.