Real Property Kerikeri
A team you know, experience you trust.
A business built on genuine care
Founded in 2004, REAL Property Kerikeri has gained a reputation for outstanding results over the last 20 years. As market leaders in the area, the key to our success is a combination of genuine care, professional integrity, in-depth local knowledge and a highly personalised approach that delivers the best outcomes for clients.
You can be sure that the care for our clients is always at the centre of everything we do, because real estate is about people as much as places. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell property in the Kerikeri area, you’ll notice the ‘Real’ difference immediately. Each client benefits from the expertise and contacts of our entire team of specialised local agents, working together to achieve the best result. It’s more than our job, it’s our passion, and we take pride in delivering exceptional service that goes above and beyond.
Properties we think you'll love
Meet your Team
As the trusted advisors for hundreds of repeat customers over the years, we have built a community based on long-lasting relationships. Talk to our friendly, professional team for no-obligation advice about your property interests today.
Owner / Licensee
Owner / Sales Consultant
Sales Consultant
Sales Consultant
Sales Consultant
Sales Consultant
Sales Consultant
Sales Consultant
Commercial Sales & Leasing
Marketing and Creative
Receptionist and Customer Relations Administrator
Contract Management and Account Administration
What Our Customers Say
Top-notch Real Estate Agent
We cannot recommend Sharon highly enough! Her deep knowledge of Kerikeri and its property market made our home-buying journey seamless and stress-free. From the very beginning, Sharon took a personal approach that truly set her apart. She took the time to get to know our family, including our kids, and made us feel like more than just clients. Sharon’s thoughtfulness and dedication were evident throughout the process. It was clear that for her, it wasn’t just about making a sale—it was about finding the perfect home for us. She went above and beyond at every turn, providing invaluable insights and support. We genuinely valued her experience and opinions. Sharon’s commitment made the entire experience positive and enjoyable. Should we ever decide to sell in the future, there’s no doubt that Sharon would be the first person we’d turn to. She stands out in this region for her exceptional service and dedication. We are eternally grateful for her support and highly recommend her to anyone looking for a top-notch real estate agent. Thank you, Sharon, for everything!
Feel Part of a Big Welcoming Local Family
We’ve become veterans with REAL having been party to three highly successful real estate transactions with them since moving from Auckland over a decade ago. We have both bought and sold with them and if were to move one final time, we would look first with REAL, absolutely no doubt. Why? They are the doyens of smoothing the way amidst the rough and tumble of real estate, and you feel as though their team really know Kerikeri and surrounds and are true citizens of the place. What you DON’T feel is that you are subject to the impersonal formulaic system of a national or international real estate giant. Which is a long way of saying you feel part of a big welcoming local family, members of which you will continue to know by first name for years.
Friendly, Empathetic
We have recently sold our home on Pickmere Lane, Kerikeri through the “Real” Estate Agency with Steven DeRuiter as the agent acting on our behalf. The market has been particularly difficult in the last few months, but Steve has tried many many different options to find us our buyer without once revising his initial valuation of our home or putting any pressure on us to reduce our price. He has been very friendly, empathetic with our desire to move on, kept us informed as to progress and kept our spirits up when progress was slow in this tricky market. The actual process following the sale agreement was very professionally dealt with and Steve has gone out of his way to make sure it has gone along without a hitch. We would not hesitate in recommending Steve and the “Real” Estate Agency to use when selling your home. Hope things go well for you.
Finding a new home in Kerikeri
Jenny found the Real Kerikeri Team a delight to work with when looking for a new home from outside of town.
Latest News
Stay up to date with our latest market updates and property news
Winds Of Change
Some of the forces that have created headwinds for our property market are starting to turn. Interest rates seem to have peaked, and banks are announcing lower fixed term rates. This, because of inflation levels stabilizing back to levels around 3.3% and most economists expecting the OCR to start to be reduced towards the end of this year. Secondly, we are hearing reports from agents in Auckland, our main feeder market, that the wheels are starting to turn once again. I suspect a little more time needs to pass before we see this activity result in sales in our local market. The Brynderwyn’s are open again despite a wee hick-up a couple of weeks ago, also the new coalition government is determined to address the barriers to lowering the cost of housing. The volume of sales around Kerikeri for the first 6 months of 2024 finished almost level with 2023 and about 26% lower than 2022. The main difference is the significant increase in the proportion of sales under $1million compared to the last 2 years. About 80% of the recent sales are under the 2022 GV compared to 50% at the beginning of the year. Higher numbers of local buyers are taking advantage of lower prices and less competition from buyers moving from out of town. The trend is still for more people looking to scale down than buy up. Median prices are down about 15 to 20% from their peak levels of September 2022 but price declines appear to be slowing down. Vendors are adjusting their prices to the new market levels or are withdrawing their properties in hope of better prices in the future. This may be a long haul for some if history repeats given it took 8 years for prices to recover to peak levels in the last cycle. Most economists are expecting a U-shaped recovery versus a V-shaped recovery, and we tend to agree. Our median sales price is still historically high relative to other larger metropolitan centres which saw price corrections occur 9 months earlier. This is good news for those looking to move closer to the city as it is still a favourable time to trade out. However, the price gap is already widening and is likely to widen further as metro markets pick up pace ahead of our own. Just as our peaks lag the peaks in the city, our troughs lag also. As mentioned previously, people looking to relocate here are cautiously doing their homework and are selective in their buying decisions. Competitive pricing remains of critical importance in this market where there is a wider array of choices for buyers. Accurate and fact-based appraisals are essential. If you are sucked into expecting too high a price by an inexperienced agent in this market, then the cost to you can be tens of thousands of dollars by the time you finally sell at a price the market is prepared to pay. Pricing above market is a losing strategy in a downward market and it is a must to seek out honest, experienced agents who have lived through the ups and downs of property cycles before. Inventory levels seem to have peaked with around 74 weeks of properties available at current sales rates compared to 85 weeks 2 months ago. Inventory levels are much lower in the under $1million price bracket. We are seeing occasional “multiple offers” on those properties that are competitively priced and well presented. Bare land is still of little interest to buyers. As existing house and land prices are well below replacement value it is challenging to see how the new build market will pick up until either land becomes much cheaper, construction costs get lower or existing house prices rise. We are not expecting these factors to change much this year. With some banks reducing interest rates, it is still an opportune time for first home buyers to get in before other buyers return and we have seen a few more attending open homes in recent weeks. Investors are also seizing the chance to selectively buy while prices are low and as more stock becomes available as existing investors “cap out” of their portfolios now the 2-year Brightline period is back in place. There is never a dull moment in real estate. People always have a reason to move and we are always here to help with "The Team You Know and the Experience You Trust." Pop in for a coffee and a chat about market conditions and opportunities to achieve your property goals with any of our team at your leisure....
May Residential/Lifestyle Market Report
April marked another great sales month for our team with 9 unconditional sales bringing our total number of residential sales in Kerikeri to 26 for the year. This emphasizes our view that well-presented and well-marketed properties will sell no matter the market conditions. Timelines to sell may be a little longer than a few years ago but buyers and sellers are adjusting to the current market dynamics. The bottom line is there are always plenty of reasons for people to want to move. While median prices are down from their peak of 2022 they are still tracking above the trend-line for property appreciation which typically doubles every 10 years in New Zealand. In many cases sales are providing better returns on investment than other parts of the country. While this is good news for property owners it can tend to dampen the appetite of those buyers who have sold at large discounts in other part of the country. Those that are moving here and buying are cautiously doing their homework and are selective in their buying decisions. Competitive pricing remains of critical importance in this market where there is a wider array of choices for buyers. Around 65% of house sales this year have sold for under $1 million up from around 58% last year and 46% in 2022. Inventory levels are high with 85 weeks of properties available at current sales volumes but are at much lower levels in the under $1millon bracket. Consequently, the higher price brackets have compressed back on the lower brackets, a bit like an accordion, which is the reverse effect we saw in 2020 to 2022 when the market was stronger for vendors. Bare land sales are still slow for the third year in a row and consequently building consents are significantly down as people favour purchasing existing homes over building new homes. All of this is creating opportunities for first home buyers to get on the ladder and for those in a position to “buy up” to do so with capital input and less competition than it may have taken a few years back. Even with higher interest rates, those who can make the change now stand a greater chance of acquiring the bigger property or higher quality home and increasing their equity position in the long term as prices rebound and interest rates lessen. Pop in for a coffee and a chat about market conditions and opportunities to achieve your property goals with any of our team at your leisure. We hope to hear from you soon....
Best Time To Buy
More houses for sale, the prospect of lower interest rates, and the likelihood of improved capital gain make this the optimal time to buy a home in Kerikeri. The Kerikeri market is experiencing a unique moment in time right now. Prices have settled into their new normal, lots of new stock is coming to the market and increased buyer activity is resulting in multi-offers. Some economists are suggesting that interest rates will start to decrease sooner than expected and predicting house prices to increase over the course of 2024. I have a view that the Reserve Bank has over-crunched the economy and will play catch-up policy easing from late this year. So, if I were borrowing at the moment, I would probably take a mix of 6 and 12 month rates. “Tony Alexander Economist. For buyers, this means that for the first time in years it will likely get easier to service a new mortgage over time rather than harder. This combined with expected capital gains, means now is a great time to buy. More stock means more competition for vendors. Presentation and pricing are more important now than ever. The ones that do, are likely to see a successful marketing campaign with possible multiple offers that will result in the best possible price in the current market. We expect the current market conditions to remain steady while the economy is correcting itself. First home buyers are back and this is a welcoming sign for a healthy property market. There is always a reason why someone wants to either move up or downsize. In a steady market you will find that the gap between what you are buying and what you are selling isn’t as huge. It doesn’t matter where you are, good houses always seem to find buyers, no matter what’s happening in the market. Right now is a sweet spot for buying. If you want to find out more about how our unique, high-performance system can help you achieve your property goals please give us a call or pop into our office anytime. We would be glad to show you around and make you a coffee while you are here....
Property Investors back in business, the bill heralding property tax change is released.
At long last, and after various “amendments” to the pre-election promise to restore interest deductibility for residential lending, the bill that will change the law to deliver on the promises has been released. This contains mostly good news for property investors. Sense and fairness are being restored in some measure. Perhaps now we will hear less from uninformed journalists reporting that “tax breaks” for landlords are to be reinstated. The ability to take a tax deduction for interest on money borrowed to buy an income earning asset, that every other industry enjoys, could hardly be described as a tax break. So what are the key changes? Interest deductibility the be phased back in for residential lending. Brightline to be returned to two years from 1 July 2024 Depreciation on commercial buildings to be removed from 1 April 2024. What’s not being done? The much-hated loss ring fencing rules that are a targeted measure at residential landlords remains, meaning that if your restored interest deductions tip you from profit to loss, these losses can only be offset against residential rental income, not your other personal income. The detail in the bill has provided answers to some of the nagging questions that remained when we were reliant solely on political promises to map our property strategies. Here are the key take aways. Interest deductibility. Residential interest deductibility will be as follows. 2024 year 50% (not the 60% promised in the coalition agreement). 2025 year 80% 2026 year 100% Importantly, the deductions will be available for all residential property, regardless of whether it was acquired before or after 27 March 2021. So, if you purchased a non-new build property after this date, you will gain 80% deductibility for the 2025 year. Accountants have been waiting for clarity on that point and thankfully, it is there. If you find yourself with a tax liability for a sale within a brightline period, you will also be allowed to claim the interest you have thus far been denied a deduction for against the brightline gain. Brightline The changes restore brightline to 2 years for brightline end date sales that occur after 1 July 2024 ie, for agreements entered into post 1 July 2024. The complex time and land area apportionment rules associated with the main home exemption will be simplified. The main home exemption will again apply as it did originally when the land has been used predominantly (more than 50%) for most of the time the person has owned the land. In a surprise and welcomed move, the current rollover relief provisions will be extended to include all transfers of land between associated persons provided the transferee was associated to the transferor for at least two years prior to the transfer. This change recognizes that transfers between associates, that include things like normal estate planning measures, are not the speculative land transactions the brightline rules were originally designed to capture. Hallelujah, some sensible flexibility that will reduce the incidence of unintended consequences from the brightline rules is to be introduced. Removal of depreciation on Commercial Buildings. One of the measures designed to fund tax cuts to middle income earners was the removal of the 2% depreciation deduction on commercial buildings. This is included in the bill and will apply to the 2025 income year. The ability to depreciate separately identified fit out and chattel item’s remains as these items are not buildings. On that point, remember the purchase price apportionment rules apply to commercial acquisitions, these rules bind both vendor and purchaser to the same split between land, buildings and fit out, so the fit-out value of an acquisition needs to be determined and negotiated with the vendor. You can no longer simply commission a fit-out valuation after settlement. So, there you have it, these are the tax measures designed to restore a functioning private landlord sector in New Zealand. Back in business. Written by Mark Withers - PKF Withers Tsang https://pkfwt.co.nz/meet-us/mark-withers/...
Winds Of Change
Some of the forces that have created headwinds for our property market are starting to turn. Interest rates seem to have peaked, and banks are announcing lower fixed term rates. This, because of inflation levels stabilizing back to levels around 3.3% and most economists expecting the OCR to start to be reduced towards the end of this year. Secondly, we are hearing reports from agents in Auckland, our main feeder market, that the wheels are starting to turn once again. I suspect a little more time needs to pass before we see this activity result in sales in our local market. The Brynderwyn’s are open again despite a wee hick-up a couple of weeks ago, also the new coalition government is determined to address the barriers to lowering the cost of housing. The volume of sales around Kerikeri for the first 6 months of 2024 finished almost level with 2023 and about 26% lower than 2022. The main difference is the significant increase in the proportion of sales under $1million compared to the last 2 years. About 80% of the recent sales are under the 2022 GV compared to 50% at the beginning of the year. Higher numbers of local buyers are taking advantage of lower prices and less competition from buyers moving from out of town. The trend is still for more people looking to scale down than buy up. Median prices are down about 15 to 20% from their peak levels of September 2022 but price declines appear to be slowing down. Vendors are adjusting their prices to the new market levels or are withdrawing their properties in hope of better prices in the future. This may be a long haul for some if history repeats given it took 8 years for prices to recover to peak levels in the last cycle. Most economists are expecting a U-shaped recovery versus a V-shaped recovery, and we tend to agree. Our median sales price is still historically high relative to other larger metropolitan centres which saw price corrections occur 9 months earlier. This is good news for those looking to move closer to the city as it is still a favourable time to trade out. However, the price gap is already widening and is likely to widen further as metro markets pick up pace ahead of our own. Just as our peaks lag the peaks in the city, our troughs lag also. As mentioned previously, people looking to relocate here are cautiously doing their homework and are selective in their buying decisions. Competitive pricing remains of critical importance in this market where there is a wider array of choices for buyers. Accurate and fact-based appraisals are essential. If you are sucked into expecting too high a price by an inexperienced agent in this market, then the cost to you can be tens of thousands of dollars by the time you finally sell at a price the market is prepared to pay. Pricing above market is a losing strategy in a downward market and it is a must to seek out honest, experienced agents who have lived through the ups and downs of property cycles before. Inventory levels seem to have peaked with around 74 weeks of properties available at current sales rates compared to 85 weeks 2 months ago. Inventory levels are much lower in the under $1million price bracket. We are seeing occasional “multiple offers” on those properties that are competitively priced and well presented. Bare land is still of little interest to buyers. As existing house and land prices are well below replacement value it is challenging to see how the new build market will pick up until either land becomes much cheaper, construction costs get lower or existing house prices rise. We are not expecting these factors to change much this year. With some banks reducing interest rates, it is still an opportune time for first home buyers to get in before other buyers return and we have seen a few more attending open homes in recent weeks. Investors are also seizing the chance to selectively buy while prices are low and as more stock becomes available as existing investors “cap out” of their portfolios now the 2-year Brightline period is back in place. There is never a dull moment in real estate. People always have a reason to move and we are always here to help with "The Team You Know and the Experience You Trust." Pop in for a coffee and a chat about market conditions and opportunities to achieve your property goals with any of our team at your leisure....
May Residential/Lifestyle Market Report
April marked another great sales month for our team with 9 unconditional sales bringing our total number of residential sales in Kerikeri to 26 for the year. This emphasizes our view that well-presented and well-marketed properties will sell no matter the market conditions. Timelines to sell may be a little longer than a few years ago but buyers and sellers are adjusting to the current market dynamics. The bottom line is there are always plenty of reasons for people to want to move. While median prices are down from their peak of 2022 they are still tracking above the trend-line for property appreciation which typically doubles every 10 years in New Zealand. In many cases sales are providing better returns on investment than other parts of the country. While this is good news for property owners it can tend to dampen the appetite of those buyers who have sold at large discounts in other part of the country. Those that are moving here and buying are cautiously doing their homework and are selective in their buying decisions. Competitive pricing remains of critical importance in this market where there is a wider array of choices for buyers. Around 65% of house sales this year have sold for under $1 million up from around 58% last year and 46% in 2022. Inventory levels are high with 85 weeks of properties available at current sales volumes but are at much lower levels in the under $1millon bracket. Consequently, the higher price brackets have compressed back on the lower brackets, a bit like an accordion, which is the reverse effect we saw in 2020 to 2022 when the market was stronger for vendors. Bare land sales are still slow for the third year in a row and consequently building consents are significantly down as people favour purchasing existing homes over building new homes. All of this is creating opportunities for first home buyers to get on the ladder and for those in a position to “buy up” to do so with capital input and less competition than it may have taken a few years back. Even with higher interest rates, those who can make the change now stand a greater chance of acquiring the bigger property or higher quality home and increasing their equity position in the long term as prices rebound and interest rates lessen. Pop in for a coffee and a chat about market conditions and opportunities to achieve your property goals with any of our team at your leisure. We hope to hear from you soon....
Best Time To Buy
More houses for sale, the prospect of lower interest rates, and the likelihood of improved capital gain make this the optimal time to buy a home in Kerikeri. The Kerikeri market is experiencing a unique moment in time right now. Prices have settled into their new normal, lots of new stock is coming to the market and increased buyer activity is resulting in multi-offers. Some economists are suggesting that interest rates will start to decrease sooner than expected and predicting house prices to increase over the course of 2024. I have a view that the Reserve Bank has over-crunched the economy and will play catch-up policy easing from late this year. So, if I were borrowing at the moment, I would probably take a mix of 6 and 12 month rates. “Tony Alexander Economist. For buyers, this means that for the first time in years it will likely get easier to service a new mortgage over time rather than harder. This combined with expected capital gains, means now is a great time to buy. More stock means more competition for vendors. Presentation and pricing are more important now than ever. The ones that do, are likely to see a successful marketing campaign with possible multiple offers that will result in the best possible price in the current market. We expect the current market conditions to remain steady while the economy is correcting itself. First home buyers are back and this is a welcoming sign for a healthy property market. There is always a reason why someone wants to either move up or downsize. In a steady market you will find that the gap between what you are buying and what you are selling isn’t as huge. It doesn’t matter where you are, good houses always seem to find buyers, no matter what’s happening in the market. Right now is a sweet spot for buying. If you want to find out more about how our unique, high-performance system can help you achieve your property goals please give us a call or pop into our office anytime. We would be glad to show you around and make you a coffee while you are here....
Property Investors back in business, the bill heralding property tax change is released.
At long last, and after various “amendments” to the pre-election promise to restore interest deductibility for residential lending, the bill that will change the law to deliver on the promises has been released. This contains mostly good news for property investors. Sense and fairness are being restored in some measure. Perhaps now we will hear less from uninformed journalists reporting that “tax breaks” for landlords are to be reinstated. The ability to take a tax deduction for interest on money borrowed to buy an income earning asset, that every other industry enjoys, could hardly be described as a tax break. So what are the key changes? Interest deductibility the be phased back in for residential lending. Brightline to be returned to two years from 1 July 2024 Depreciation on commercial buildings to be removed from 1 April 2024. What’s not being done? The much-hated loss ring fencing rules that are a targeted measure at residential landlords remains, meaning that if your restored interest deductions tip you from profit to loss, these losses can only be offset against residential rental income, not your other personal income. The detail in the bill has provided answers to some of the nagging questions that remained when we were reliant solely on political promises to map our property strategies. Here are the key take aways. Interest deductibility. Residential interest deductibility will be as follows. 2024 year 50% (not the 60% promised in the coalition agreement). 2025 year 80% 2026 year 100% Importantly, the deductions will be available for all residential property, regardless of whether it was acquired before or after 27 March 2021. So, if you purchased a non-new build property after this date, you will gain 80% deductibility for the 2025 year. Accountants have been waiting for clarity on that point and thankfully, it is there. If you find yourself with a tax liability for a sale within a brightline period, you will also be allowed to claim the interest you have thus far been denied a deduction for against the brightline gain. Brightline The changes restore brightline to 2 years for brightline end date sales that occur after 1 July 2024 ie, for agreements entered into post 1 July 2024. The complex time and land area apportionment rules associated with the main home exemption will be simplified. The main home exemption will again apply as it did originally when the land has been used predominantly (more than 50%) for most of the time the person has owned the land. In a surprise and welcomed move, the current rollover relief provisions will be extended to include all transfers of land between associated persons provided the transferee was associated to the transferor for at least two years prior to the transfer. This change recognizes that transfers between associates, that include things like normal estate planning measures, are not the speculative land transactions the brightline rules were originally designed to capture. Hallelujah, some sensible flexibility that will reduce the incidence of unintended consequences from the brightline rules is to be introduced. Removal of depreciation on Commercial Buildings. One of the measures designed to fund tax cuts to middle income earners was the removal of the 2% depreciation deduction on commercial buildings. This is included in the bill and will apply to the 2025 income year. The ability to depreciate separately identified fit out and chattel item’s remains as these items are not buildings. On that point, remember the purchase price apportionment rules apply to commercial acquisitions, these rules bind both vendor and purchaser to the same split between land, buildings and fit out, so the fit-out value of an acquisition needs to be determined and negotiated with the vendor. You can no longer simply commission a fit-out valuation after settlement. So, there you have it, these are the tax measures designed to restore a functioning private landlord sector in New Zealand. Back in business. Written by Mark Withers - PKF Withers Tsang https://pkfwt.co.nz/meet-us/mark-withers/...
Caring for our community
We are passionate about our local community and support a number of select causes that deeply care about Kerikeri and its people.