Listings for properties in zone for some of the country’s elite public schools around the country have seen a surge in enquiry in the wake of school acceptance and rejection letters being sent out.
There are many examples of people doing desperate things to be in Auckland’s prized double grammar zone – and agents told OneRoof demand was equally high for houses in zone for other distinguished public schools around the country.
Earlier this month, buyers had swooped on a four-bedroom home in Wellington’s Mount Victoria. Many of the families viewing it wanted to be in zone for Wellington College.
Lowe & Co agent Amy Allen said the listing went live just after the boys school sent out its acceptance letters at the end of August.
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“I think because it was after the cut-off people suddenly thought, ‘Shoot, my son didn’t get in there’ and are wanting to get them in.”
She said Mount Victoria was one of the capital city’s more prestigious suburbs, so it was difficult to say whether the school zone was pushing up prices. The exact sale price of the Mount Victoria home could not be disclosed, but it had been above the buyer enquiry sum of over $1.795 million.
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Allen said Wellington College and the co-ed Wellington High School were popular high schools, but Wellington High School had a larger catchment area.
Agents on Auckland’s North Shore had also noted a lift in buyer enquiry.
Almost 100 more students applied to Westlake Boys High School this year compared to last year yet almost exactly the same number of students were accepted, the school told OneRoof. Of the 890 students who applied for the 2025 school year, only 503 students were placed including 208 who were in zone and 295 from out of zone.
Students were only told this month if they had gotten into Westlake Boys High, and Harcourts agent Helen Shaw had already come across parents who were looking to buy in the Westlake Boys or Rangitoto College zones so their children could still attend.
2/56 Lavery Place, in Sunnynook, North Shore, is in zone for Westlake Boys, Westlake Girls and Rangitoto College. Photo / Supplied
Westlake Boys is one of the country's leading state schools and houses in its catchment zone are in demand. Photo / Supplied
An entry-level three-bedroom, two-bathroom home on 2/56 Lavery Place, in Sunnynook, was one of the properties catching their attention, Shaw said, because it was zoned for Westlake Boys, Westlake Girls and Rangitoto College. Shaw’s marketing on the listing declares “out of zone buyers must view”.
“I think that as we edge closer to the new school year and people are in a better financial position, there’s going to be a massive demand for homes in good school zones.”
While prices hadn’t significantly improved, “there is a lot of activity, and the open homes are busy”.
Lodge agent Blair Pointon said the last few years had seen Hamilton buyers pay more attention to school zones, with more families looking to send their children to either Hamilton Boys or Hamilton Girls, which had the same catchment area. Also popular was Hillcrest High School.
“Auckland is massive on school zones, and we are starting to get more into that as our population grows,” he told OneRoof.
Hamilton Boys' First XV gear up for a match. The school's sports programme is one of its drawcards. Photo / Supplied
“Any high school with a half decent reputation, people are a lot more mindful of these days.”
While he did not have any hard evidence around whether houses in the sought-after school zones were more expensive, he said the zones did help get people through the door. “Properties that are inside the Hamilton Boys or Hilcrest High zones are more popular than properties out of those zones, even those that are just a street away.”
He recently sold a standard four-bedroom home zoned for Hamilton Boys for more than $600,000. He said demand was strong because it was in zone. “It’s almost lower decile wanting to get a good education for their children but can’t afford to go to private schooling.”
Harcourts Hamilton Rentals managing director Melanie Rouse said rentals in the aforementioned zones were extremely popular, with people willing to compromise on the type of house they wanted just to be in zone. They were also willing to pay more – by as much $30 extra a week.
“What you see with these properties is there is a lot more demand for them. They don’t sit long. They are the sort of properties that even if something else is taking a bit longer to rent, those school zones get snapped up quickly.”
Former Christchurch Boys alumni Christopher Luxon, right, makes a return visit to the school. Photo / George Heard
A three-bedroom townhouse for sale at 4/18 Elizabeth Street, in Riccarton, Christchurch. It is in zone for Christchurch Boys and Christchurch Girls. Photo / Supplied
Rouse said demand for properties in the popular school zones usually picked up between September and Christmas, and so far, was tracking on par with other years.
In Christchurch, Harcourts agent Zani Polson said as soon as acceptance letters were sent out for Christchurch Boys and Girls High Schools, she noticed a sudden spike in interest in a three-bedroom, two-bathroom townhouse at 4/18 Elizabeth Street, in Riccarton, because it was in zone for both.
“I had people who were actually looking whose kids had missed out.”
Families whose children miss being chosen from a ballot often look at other options. Some sell their existing home and rent in zone or buying in zone and rent out their old home.
Unlike other cities, where agents are unsure if in-zone homes attract a price premium, Christchurch agents are 100% certain they do.
Polson said a house in the zone could in general terms cost about $50,000 more than one that wasn’t.
However, with some schools already changing their enrolment criteria and no longer giving priority to students’ siblings, Polson warned there was a high chance that in the next couple of years the zones could shrink so people buying to be in a certain area should choose carefully.
“If you are buying in zone, you don’t want to be on the fringe of those school zones because you might have paid a premium to get into that zone and all of a sudden you are no longer in it.”
Harcourts Mark O’Loughlin agreed and said when he did appraisals he always told homeowners to expect a slight premium for being in Christchurch’s key school zones.
O’Loughlin is about to list a townhouse and said he would be making a big deal about the fact it was in the sought-after school zones.
“I know that both Boys and Girls High are very tight on their school requirements and if you are not in the zone it’s very unlikely that you will get into the school.”
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