Oops, I bought a house!

Survey reveals nearly 1 in 4 Kiwis purchase homes by happy accident

A surprising trend has been uncovered in a recent survey of New Zealand's real estate landscape: a significant slice of Kiwis are making spontaneous home purchases.

According to a realestate.co.nz study, 24% of participants have found themselves as property owners at some stage, having made the leap without the initial intention to buy. Within this group, 8% ‘accidentally purchased’ in the past year. 

Vanessa Williams, spokesperson for realestate.co.nz, said while it may sound unusual for someone to 'accidentally buy a house,' the data suggests it's more common than many would believe.

"Kiwis have a real affinity with property; browsing listings is almost a national pastime. Attending an open home or an auction can quickly turn from casual interest to serious investment when the right property catches your eye and the price feels within reach.”

Williams notes that choosing a home is often choosing a lifestyle, and the emotional connection to a space or location can strongly influence decision-making.

realestate.co.nz has been tracking this data since 2020, which has revealed a cycle not too dissimilar to the property market. 

“The 2025 data is a telling sign of growing optimism among property buyers,” says Williams.

“We haven’t seen this level of ‘accidental purchases’ since April 2022, which was coming off the back of a hot market.

The latest data indicates a correlation between these unexpected purchases and increased income. Individuals who bought a house without prior plans in the last 12 months reported a personal income of 54% above the average. 

Accidental purchasers are also predominantly male (66% vs. 34% female), with an average age of 30.2 years.

Auckland remains the hot spot for these unplanned acquisitions, with those in the super city more likely to have made an impulse buy (51% compared to 31% of survey respondents overall). Williams says income is likely a factor here as well, but adds that a diverse market with ample choice, like Auckland, may also fuel spur-of-the-moment decisions. 

“While it’s important to have a property investment plan that works for you and your personal circumstances, the property market can provide numerous opportunities for those with an open mind - something a fairly significant portion of the population seems to already know well,” says Williams.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Hannah Franklin | hannah@realestate.co.nz

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