In brief
Stats NZ reported 41,091 new homes were approved in New Zealand for the year to September 2026, a record 18 % increase. Stand‑alone houses topped the count since 2022 and Auckland accounted for a third of the surge.
In the year ending September 2026, New Zealand approved a record 41,091 new homes, an 18 % increase from the previous year, Stats NZ said on Tuesday.
Of those, 19,228 were stand‑alone houses, up 20 % and more than 3,200 higher than the year before. The remaining 21,863 were multi‑unit homes, which rose 16 % from the prior year.
Auckland led the nationwide growth, receiving 6,426 stand‑alone house consents – a 36 % jump year‑on‑year and an increase of more than 1,700 homes above the 2025 level, the agency added.
In contrast, the national average for new home consents fell in the month of September, with 3,570 consents granted, a 4.7 % decline compared with September 2025.
Seasonal adjustment shows a further dip, as the agency noted consent numbers were 7.9 % lower in September than in August of the same year.
These figures mark the highest annual count of standalone houses New Zealand has recorded since 2022 and underline the continuing pressure on the housing market.
