Welcome to Key Real Estate's monthly Property Report. 

We'll look at properties for sale in Rotorua, the Bay of Plenty, and across the country. Check out the house price highlights below! 

Median prices for residential property increased by 1.3%, from $763,000 in May 2025 to $775,000 in May 2026. Bay of Plenty's median house price was $800,000, with an annual decrease of 1.2%. In May, the Rotorua District's median house price was $600,000, a 1.2% decrease compared to last year. The median nationwide price excluding Auckland was up 0.7% from April to $705,000 in May. Nationally the month-on-month prices decreased by 0.6% to $775,000 from April to May. Bay of Plenty's median house price was down slightly by 2.4% compared to April. The Rotorua District dipped from $638,250 to $600,000. 

Inventory levels continue to increase. The total number of properties for sale nationwide increased by 0.3% from May 2025 to May 2026. The Bay of Plenty has increased inventory by six weeks to 43 weeks in May 2026.  More property is sold on the market, giving buyers more choice and more time to decide. The result is that there is less upward pressure on prices.

May 2026 points to a housing market that is steadier but still cautious and regionally uneven. Cost-of-living pressures, including elevated fuel costs, and uncertainty ahead of the national election in November also continued to weigh on market sentiment.

We hope you enjoyed this month's Property Report.

With so much movement in house prices, contact Key Real Estate, your Rotorua property specialist, to find your property value!