Why Dream Scrolling Homes is Beating Dating Apps

In 2024, the median property value across NZ hit 7.7 times the gross annual median income* meaning a lot of people now feel that home ownership is out of reach, but this hasn’t stopped the dream with 63% viewing home ownership as a crucial life step. This could explain the dream scrolling trend we are seeing, it’s a way to momentarily escape reality and indulge in the fun of imagining what our lives could be like.

Property has become a way of life for many Kiwi, with our survey showing that 4 in 5 admitted to browsing property listings online, even when they’re not seriously considering buying.

People cited different motivations for dream scrolling, with the main reasons being setting a goal to aim for (41%), finding inspiration (35%), and simply being curious about how others live (33%). For over a quarter (27%) of New Zealanders surveyed it even provides a way for them to relax.

If you’ve ever browsed homes that are way out of your budget, you’re not alone 36% of Kiwi said the same. Combine that with people who also browse homes they wouldn't realistically consider buying and more than half of New Zealanders (59%) who are 'dream scrolling' property online. For younger Kiwis aged 18-34, this jumps to 75%. You can see this with our winter’s 10 most-viewed dream homes where one property got 107,000+ views.

So, when and where are Kiwis getting their dream scroll on? The top two places are while watching TV (52%) or lying in bed (41%). Surprisingly, 20% of people even admit to doing it at work, and 12% while on the toilet!

And in an interesting twist, 38% of Kiwis said they’d rather scroll through property listings than watch rugby. With more people choosing the single life it comes as no surprise that 55% of Kiwi would rather scroll through property than scroll for partners on dating apps. 12% even confessed they’d pick it over sex!

It turns out that Kiwis don’t just browse for themselves, we’re also curious about the homes of people we know. 31% of respondents admitted to checking out the homes of friends, with 30% snooping on their neighbours and 15% looking at colleagues' homes.

Snooping or being inquisitive differs between generations too, with 38% of Millennials participating in it compared to 27% of Gen Z. 64% of younger Kiwis aged 18-34 admitted to having a look at their friends' homes, colleagues, boss’s home or even celebrities. In comparison 66% of baby boomers claimed they did not participate in any kind of snooping.

And when it comes to who we’re snooping on, the stats differ by gender: women are more likely to check out friends' and neighbours' homes, while men are more inclined to take a peek at the homes of their boss, colleagues, or even famous people. Our ‘How Kiwi Live’ series allows an insight into people's homes and lives, have a read of Elissa’s story.

When it comes to the properties Kiwis aspire to own, there’s a noticeable divide based on age and gender. 26% of the Gen X generation are all about lifestyle blocks and city apartments, while 28% of Boomers are more likely to dream of beach houses. Women, in particular, prefer lifestyle blocks (29%) compared to men (19%), while men are equally drawn to beach houses and city apartments (20% each).

It seems that nobody is completely immune to a bit of property dreaming.