More than 1,500 New Zealand landlords have shared their views in APIA’s latest Landlord Sentiment and Policy Confidence Survey.
The early findings paint a picture of cautious optimism—confidence is holding, but only just. With policy changes still rippling through the market, investor sentiment is shifting from steady to strategic.
Confidence Is Real,But Not Bulletproof
Many property investors still feel confident in their long-term strategies. But that confidence is increasingly conditional on stable housing policy.
Gone are the days of “set and forget” landlording. Today’s investors are adjusting their decisions based on political signals, interest rate trends, and compliance pressure.
Policy Outcomes Are Driving Behaviour
One trend that’s emerging strongly from our survey is this: politics and policy settings are heavily influencing investor behaviour.
A large number of respondents say their confidence depends significantly on what happens next in the policy space. The more uncertainty there is, the more cautious investors become.
“Housing policy doesn’t just live in Parliament. It lives in real backyards, in real portfolios,” says Sarina Gibbon, General Manager of the Auckland Property Investors Association.
“If you want better housing outcomes, then you need to understand how landlords think and what moves they’re likely to make.”
A Shared Feeling of Being the Silent Stakeholder
Another recurring theme in the survey responses is that landlords often feel like the silent stakeholder in housing policy conversations.
Despite housing more than a third of all New Zealanders, landlords say their insights are rarely sought—and even less often acted on.
“Investors are not chasing loopholes. They’re chasing clarity,” says Sarina.
“The more aligned policy is with how landlords actually operate, the better the outcomes for everyone—especially tenants.”
What APIA Is Doing With This Information
This survey isn’t a tick-box exercise. It’s a structured tool we use to make credible, evidence-backed policy recommendations...
