MASSIVE DEMAND FOR WELLINGTON RENTALS
'Massive' demand for Wellington rentals and shortage won't ease soon, Trademe says
Wellington is bearing the brunt of fierce demand for rentals, and there is no relief on the horizon.
Head of Trade Me Property Nigel Jeffries said the demand in Wellington was "massive", with the number of available rentals dropping 70 per cent on December 2016.
January "is likely to be even more extreme", he said.
In one case, a two-bedroom rental in Wellington was listed for 25 hours before it was taken down due to a flood of 55 applications.
The capital also saw the highest rise in median weekly rent over the last two months, up $30, from $450 to $480 in December.
The latest Trade Me Property Rental Index shows fewer listings compared to last year, and the cost of rent was on the rise.
Jeffries said rental availability would only get tighter, and prices higher in 2018.
"Overall the shortage of rental properties isn't going to get easier anytime soon."
"Demand will continue to exceed supply this year and as a result we are predicting that the national median weekly rent will rise between 3 and 5 per cent."
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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