Buying guide
The 7 cheapest freehold properties in NZ right now
Keen on a bargain?
If you were to buy a house at the average asking price in New Zealand with a 20% deposit you’d need over $160,000. But if you take a moment to scour Trade Me and get a little creative with your purchase there are homes for a fraction of that price. We’re talking freehold standalone homes, apartments, and land.
To help you find these hidden bargains we’ve compiled a list of 7 of the cheapest properties in New Zealand - for sale on Trade Me right now (3 October 2025).*
The cheapest freehold houses in NZ
1. Caravan comfort by the Kapiti coast - Asking $110,000
Just two minutes from the beautiful Otaki Beach, and an hour from Wellington - this could be the ultimate mini-bach or even a permanent home (one some of us may actually be able to afford). It’s on a little 93 sqm section, and features a caravan with double bed, connected to a cabin with kitchen and lounge.
There’s also communal features at the camp ground, including swimming pool, tennis courts, playground, kitchen and ablution block.
2. Ohakune ski chalet- Asking $130,000
Ohakune had a cracker of a season in 2025, with a 181 cm snow base in late September. If you’re a North Island skier or snowboarder this cute wee cabin could be the perfect way to access the slopes without paying a small fortune for an Airbnb or Bookabach.
3. NZ's cheapest investment property? - Asking $140,000
Buying an investment property usually requires a 25% deposit of $100k or more, which is out of reach for many Kiwis. This one’s different - it’s a three bed, one bath in Ruapehu on 227 sqm of land asking just $140,000. A 25% deposit would be just $35,000.
It needs a little work, but it’s tidy - and once it’s ready it wouldn’t take much rent to cover the mini mortgage repayments!
Apartments are generally the cheapest dwellings in NZ.
The cheapest freehold apartments in New Zealand
4. Mount Albert apartment due for remediation - Asking $89,000
This is the cheapest freehold apartment in Auckland by a decent margin, but unfortunately - there is a catch. The apartment complex has had weathertightness issues in the past and is due a full remediation in the near future.
Buyers will have to weigh up the risks and rewards and ask themselves - will the purchase price plus remediation costs be less than the apartment’s value once it’s all done?
5. Sub 100k freehold apartment in Auckland - Asking $99,000
The executors of the owner’s estate have been instructed to sell, and they’ve put a cracking price on this little one bedroom apartment. It’s currently rented and generating a good return, and will be close to the Albert Street stop of the city rail link when it opens.
The cheapest freehold land in NZ
6. NZ's most affordable section? - Asking $55,000
Mataura is a tiny town on a river, just outside of Gore and it’s home to what may be the cheapest land in the country. For the price of a mid-range SUV you can purchase 810 sqm of land with services already ready to be connected.
Build a wee house for cheap and you could have a brand new home for under $400,000. (If you want a slightly bigger section, there’s another one selling just down the road).
A giant garden near Christchurch - Asking $60,000
Calling all gardeners and budding farmers. This 684 sqm is a steal, asking $60,000 with a location just 12 minutes drive from Christchurch.
… But there is a small catch. Restrictive covenants mean that you can’t build any structure on this land, due to restrictive covenants. That said, it’d make the perfect productive garden or mini farm for a green thumbed Christchurch local. It’s right by the river, with a running tap onsite, just waiting for you to turn it into something special.
Find the cheapest houses for sale in New Zealand
If you’re keen to find a stunning slice of New Zealand to call your own, it’s easy to explore what’s out there without blowing your budget. Here's how:
Visit Trade Me Property
Select 'for sale' and 'All New Zealand'
Then filter prices to show 'lowest price' first and see what you find.
You’ll need to scroll through 10-15 pages of relocatable buildings, and leasehold apartments - but once you hit the $100-200k mark you’ll start finding interesting freehold properties. Look beyond the city limits and you might just score a quiet block of rural land or even a bach by the sea for under $200,000. Happy hunting!
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