REINZ September 2025 Market Report: Hawke’s Bay
- Aiden Doran
- Oct 14
- 2 min read
Hawke’s Bay Property Market Update
The Hawke’s Bay property market showed signs of stabilising in September 2025, with prices easing slightly but market activity and buyer confidence beginning to lift.
Key Highlights
Median price: $652,500 (↓ 6.8% year-on-year | ↓ 1.1% month-on-month)
Sales count: 173 (↓ 22.1% year-on-year | ↓ 8.9% month-on-month)
Median days to sell: 43 days – 4 days quicker than September 2024.
Market Insights
“The most active buyer groups in the Hawke’s Bay region were first-home buyers and owner-occupiers looking to downsize. Most vendor expectations were realistic in terms of asking price, with some hoping for higher prices. Attendance at open homes was good, increasing compared to other months. Market sentiment was influenced by declining interest rates, the arrival of spring, and stock levels. Local salespeople suggest that the local property market will only continue to improve in the coming months.”— Lizzy Ryley, REINZ Chief Executive
District Trends
District | Median Price (Sep 25) | Change vs Aug 25 | Change vs Sep 24 | Sales (Sep 25) | Change vs Aug 25 | Change vs Sep 24 |
Central Hawke’s Bay | $495,000 | -3.9% | -12.4% | 21 | +10.5% | +40.0% |
Hastings District | $670,000 | +3.0% | +0.8% | 62 | -26.2% | -38.6% |
Napier City | $685,000 | -2.1% | -7.4% | 89 | +7.2% | -15.2% |
Wairoa District | – | – | – | 1 | -75.0% | 0.0% |
What It Means for Buyers and Sellers
Buyers: Lower median prices and more realistic vendor expectations are creating attractive opportunities, particularly for first-home buyers.
Sellers: While prices are softer, strong open-home attendance and seasonal momentum suggest increasing demand as we move further into spring.
Investors: With declining interest rates and reduced inventory, competition is expected to rise over the coming months.
Overall, Hawke’s Bay’s property market is showing steady signs of improvement. Although prices remain below 2024 levels, easing interest rates, improving confidence, and typical spring activity are helping to re-energise the region.
