The snow has arrived across the Southern Lakes region, bringing with it a vibrant calendar of community events and visitor activity. School holidays for New Zealand and Australia have seen Queenstown’s tourism activity reach peaks not previously seen. Weber Brothers Circus, Ayrburn's Winter Wonderland and Coronet Peak’s Night Ski to the Remarkables Winter Market series, Queenstown continues to showcase the lifestyle that makes the region one of New Zealand's most sought-after destinations. The district continues to display confidence in the local economy, with ongoing residential development activity, strong tourism demand, and a property market that continues to perform well relative to many other parts of the country.
National Sales Snapshot
Key June 2026 Statistics New Zealand
June 2026 sales data is revealing a relatively steady national market with participants remaining cautious. Regional differences are marked with regions moving at their own speeds, so there is no one national story.
The contrast between Queenstown Lakes and much of the country is becoming increasingly pronounced.
While many North Island regions continue to wrestle with oversupply and slower buyer activity, Queenstown continues to benefit from population growth and lifestyle migration.
Queenstown Sales Snapshot
Key June 2026 Statistics Queenstown Suburbs
Median days to sell continued to trend upwards, while median sale prices remained exceptionally strong, albeit below recent peaks. June's median sale price was $1,697,500, with four of the past six months recording median prices above $1.5 million.
Year-to-date sales for the first six months totalled 440 transactions, representing 18 fewer sales than the same period in 2025, with activity tracking broadly in line with normal seasonal patterns.
The Queenstown-Lakes market continues to demonstrate resilience and remains distinct from many other parts of New Zealand. Buyer activity remains healthy, although purchasers are taking longer to make decisions, undertaking thorough due diligence, and negotiating carefully. Well-presented properties in desirable locations continue to attract strong enquiry and premium outcomes. First-home buyers remain active, investor demand is being supported by tight rental market conditions, and enquiry from Australian purchasers has strengthened in recent months.
LINZ recently released statistics on property purchases made through the Active Investor Plus visa category. Across New Zealand, 20 properties were purchased during the past 12 months, with 14 transactions in Auckland and 4 in Otago. It is reasonable to assume that not all four Otago purchases occurred in Queenstown. Commentary suggesting significant levels of Active Investor Plus buyer activity in Queenstown is, at this stage, not supported by the available sales data.
Stock levels across Central Otago-Lakes are reducing, which is typical for this time of year as many vendors defer bringing properties to market until the more active spring and summer selling season. While seasonal in nature, the reduction in available stock does shift the balance modestly away from supply and toward demand, helping to underpin the market's continued strength.
Adrian Snow
Principal Agent & Director AREINZ
*Report prepared on 22 July 2026. Data sourced from REINZ unless otherwise stated.