What The Kiwis Are Teaching The Aussie's from New Zealand’s Property Management Evolution

Property Brokers General Manager | David Faulkner & Aaron Emery | Managing Director - Rent Roll Mastery

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Written by Aaron Emery

Managing Director | Rent Roll Mastery

When I touched down in Auckland on 11 October 2025, I had two goals in mind – to share insights on rent-roll performance and profitability at The PMC 2025, and to learn from the people shaping New Zealand’s property-management landscape.

What followed was a two-week study tour across Auckland, Palmerston North, and Wellington that left me inspired, challenged, and energised about the future of our profession on both sides of the Tasman.

Auckland – Innovation, Energy, and a Growth Mindset

My trip began with a visit to Renti HQ, one of New Zealand’s leading prop-tech innovators. The team welcomed me warmly and invited me to join their Ask An Expert series, firing off five rapid-fire questions on rent-roll growth, performance, and fee maximisation.

We spoke about identifying high-quality rent rolls versus underperforming ones – the kind of due-diligence work I specialise in.

What struck me most was the appetite among Kiwi property managers to understand business-performance metrics like AAMI (Average Annual Management Income) and profit per property – concepts well established in Australia but only now gaining momentum in New Zealand.

That evening, I attended the Renti Pre-Conference Party, where conversations flowed about innovation, efficiency, and the changing market. The passion in the room was undeniable – people weren’t just surviving; they were determined to lift standards.

At The PMC 2025 conference, I delivered a keynote on understanding AAMI and protecting revenue in a softening market. It couldn’t have been timelier. Across much of New Zealand, rents have fallen, days-on-market have lengthened, and profit margins have tightened.

My message was simple: “It’s not about how many properties you manage, but how well each one performs financially.”

The feedback was incredible – attendees connected strongly with the theme of protecting revenue, maximising opportunities, and building profitability through smarter management. It’s clear this is a conversation the industry is ready to have.

Palmerston North – Healthy Homes, Real Challenges

From Auckland, I travelled to Palmerston North to spend the day with David Faulkner and his team at Property Brokers – one of New Zealand’s largest provincial agencies, managing more than 8,500 properties across regional and rural areas.

We talked at length about market conditions, operational challenges, and the rollout of the Healthy Homes Standards – a major focus for the entire industry. For Property Brokers, the impact has been significant due to their scale and the age of many homes in their portfolio.

To their credit, the majority of their properties are now fully compliant, with the team continuing to work closely with landlords to bring the remaining ones up to standard. For owners who refused to act, the agency made the tough but necessary decision to terminate those managements – a proactive move to protect both tenants and their business from compliance risk.

It’s a stance many Australian agencies could learn from. Too often, we still see properties under management that fall short of minimum housing standards – tolerated out of fear of losing a landlord rather than upholding professional integrity.

Property Brokers’ approach is a timely reminder that compliance isn’t optional; it reflects a company’s values, its duty of care, and its commitment to delivering a safe, lawful, and high-quality service to clients and tenants alike.

While the legislation’s intent is positive, implementation hasn’t been easy. Many owners have struggled with compliance costs, especially in older housing stock, and some have opted to sell rather than upgrade.

Yet what stood out most was the agency’s unwavering commitment to doing the right thing – a reflection of the professionalism that’s driving the industry forward.

Wellington – Resilience in a Tough Market

Next stop was Wellington, where I met Harrison Vaughan and his team at Tommy’s Rentals. Wellington’s market has been hit particularly hard – properties can now take 30–40 days to lease, depending on quality and price.

Despite softer conditions, the team’s resilience and culture impressed me. Every conversation circled back to service quality, communication, and efficiency – the same pillars that underpin high-performing rent rolls anywhere in the world.

I also spent time with Luke Nicholls and Dan Fairbairn from Keyhook, an emerging prop-tech company building one of the most exciting all-in-one platforms I’ve seen for property management. They interviewed me about rent-roll growth, profitability, and due diligence, and I left genuinely excited about the innovation underway in the Kiwi prop-tech scene.

Finally, I wrapped up the week with Grant and the team at Comprendé, who have grown to nearly 1,400 managements through a mix of organic growth and acquisitions. Their thoughtful use of offshoring, strong structure, and outstanding culture reinforced that scalability and heart can absolutely coexist in business.

Regulation, Risk, and Responsibility

One of the most fascinating conversations of the trip was over brunch with Sarina Gibbon, a qualified lawyer and passionate advocate who leads The Tenancy Advisory.

While Australia’s property-management industry is tightly regulated, New Zealand’s is not – at least, not yet.

Licensing remains optional, and trust-account audits aren’t mandatory. This lack of oversight has unfortunately led to occasional cases of mismanaged or missing funds, which the industry itself is determined to address.

The encouraging news is that around 85 per cent of professionals support regulation, and government discussions are underway. It’s not a question of if regulation will happen – it’s when and how.

As I shared with Sarina: “The professionalism of property management deserves protection. Regulation isn’t about restriction – it’s about respect for the work we do and confidence for the clients we serve.”

Shared Challenges, Shared Purpose

Across every city and conversation, one thing became clear – our challenges are remarkably similar. Staff retention, communication gaps, fee leakage, and shifting legislation affect us all. Whether in Brisbane or Wellington, Auckland or Adelaide, we’re navigating the same storms – just under different skies.

What unites us is passion. Passion for people, for property, and for progress.

As I often say, “The future of property management isn’t about managing more – it’s about managing better.”

This trip reaffirmed that both Australia and New Zealand share the same goal: to build sustainable, profitable, and respected property-management businesses that deliver real value and inspire pride in those who lead them.

Final Reflection

My time in New Zealand reaffirmed my belief that our industry is filled with talented, forward-thinking professionals who are hungry for change and collaboration.

From prop-tech innovators to provincial powerhouses, the conversations I had highlighted just how much potential exists when innovation and integrity align.

As both countries evolve, there’s so much we can learn from each other.

Because when it comes to property management, excellence has no borders.