Granny flats have become one of the hottest topics in New Zealand property this year. The recent rule changes allowing some new granny flats to be built without a building consent have made headlines, and for many buyers, they're an attractive feature. They promise flexibility, extra income, space for extended family, or even a work-from-home solution…

Twenty years ago, Sky Television helped start my love of the NBA and American sport in general. My dad was always a big sports fan—tennis and golf were his favourites—so having Sky in the house was a pretty big deal…

As we move towards the colder parts of winter this is the time that has a habit of exposing problems that have been quietly developing for months, sometimes even years. Abbey and I see it regularly when we're walking through homes with vendors and buyers. A small maintenance issue that could have been fixed for a few hundred dollars has turned into a repair bill running into the tens of thousands…

When people think about living near Eden Park, they often think of event days, big crowds and the roar of 50,000 fans. But after years of living and selling homes throughout Kingsland, Morningside, Sandringham and Mt Eden, we've found there's another side to living in the neighbourhood that many people don't realise until they become part of it.

I was watching Wayne Brown's latest "Wayne Explains" video this week (link here), where he was discussing Auckland's rates increase and the City Rail Link. Whatever your views on the project, one comment really resonated with me. Wayne referred to the new City Rail Link stations as a giant "train set," making the point that the real cost isn't just building it, it's everything that comes afterwards. Once it's built, it has to be operated, maintained, repaired and eventually upgraded or replaced. It struck me because, in many ways, that's exactly how home ownership works. Buying a property is often the largest financial commitment we'll ever make, but it's only the beginning. The real investment is looking after it over the years that follow.

Over the weekend, Abbey and I were talking about how different the market feels compared to the start of the year. Not dramatically different. Not suddenly booming. But different enough that we're noticing a shift in conversations with buyers and sellers. One of the advantages of working across Central Auckland every day is that you get a feel for what's happening on the ground long before the headlines catch up. Sometimes the numbers simply confirm what you're already hearing at open homes and around auction rooms. When we looked back at the data from the start of 2026, something stood out.

If you've followed Auckland property over the last decade, you'll know our city has changed dramatically.

The Auckland Unitary Plan unlocked significant development opportunities across the region, and as a result we've seen thousands of new homes, apartments and townhouses delivered. In many ways that's been a positive thing. More housing choice is important, and Auckland needs to continue evolving. However, the debate around Plan Change 120 has had Abbey and I talking a lot over the past week about what Auckland should look like in the future, and whether a blanket approach to intensification is really the right answer.

Three properties sold, two under the hammer auctions, strong bidding competition in Epsom and Greenlane, and key lessons from the Cooper & Co Summit. A look back at a busy week across the Central Auckland property market.