HomeRun x Realestate.co.nz

Think your Council CV or a 3-month-old agent appraisal tells you what a house is actually worth? Think again. In this episode of HomeRun, we sit down with Alex Martelli, the expert property buying force behind Martelli Buyers Agency, to expose the massive flaws in how property is bought, sold, and valued in 2026.

👇 If you’re sick of blind auctions, fake appraisals, and deals collapsing over pure ego, watch this. 👇

The 2026 property market is highly fragmented—it’s a transitional space where generalizing it as a "buyers'" or "sellers'" market is a critical mistake. While some pockets are slow, high-demand family home zones (like the North Shore and the Eastern suburbs) remain fiercely competitive.In this deep-dive, Alex Martelli pulls back the curtain on the real estate industry's biggest pitfalls. We unpack why automated pricing algorithms are completely blind to property realities (like lack of sunlight or hidden maintenance issues), why "multi-offers" are an ethical nightmare for both sides, and how sellers sabotage their own campaigns by playing hard to get with their agents.Whether you are trying to break into the $700k–$1.1M first-home buyer bracket or looking to trade up into a premium school zone, Alex reveals the unfiltered truth about finding a property's "True Price."

What You’ll Learn:

00:00 - Intro 02:10 - Appraisals vs. Reality: Alex Martelli Defines "True Price"

05:45 - The Algorithmic Lie: Why You Must Disregard Council CVs

09:30 - Navigating the 2026 Transitional Market (North Shore vs. The Pockets)

13:15 - The First-Home Buyer Surge in the $700k–$1.1M Range

16:40 - The Myth of Seasonality: Do Buyers Actually Hibernate?

19:50 - Why Multi-Offers are the "Worst Methodology" in Real Estate

24:15 - Don't Let $10,000 Kill Your Deal: The Cost of Entrenched Ego

28:30 - Vendor Mistakes: Why Saying "I Don't Need to Sell" Destroys Agent Motivation

"An algorithm doesn't know if a house gets no sun or has a mold problem. Stop letting a computer screen dictate your property's value." — Alex Martelli

"Deals don't fail over facts; they fail over foolish pride. Don't lose your dream home over a stubborn $10,000 standoff." — Alex Martelli

Need an expert on your side of the negotiating table? Connect with Alex Martelli and the team: 🔗 https://www.martellibuyers.co.nz/Enjoyed this episode of HomeRun?

👉 SUBSCRIBE for more unfiltered insights into the real estate market.

💬 DROP A COMMENT: Have you ever lost a property to a "blind" multi-offer process? Let’s talk about it below!

Want to secure your dream home without overpaying or breaking a sweat in the auction room? In this episode of the HomeRun podcast, we sit down with the legendary Andrew North ("Northy")—one of the best auctioneers in the game and a dominant force on Auckland's North Shore. With over three decades of wielding the gavel, Andrew pulls back the curtain on the real estate industry to demystify the entire auction process for buyers and sellers alike.Whether you are terrified of your voice cracking on your first bid, wondering how to play your cards as a couple, or trying to understand if a pre-auction offer is the right move, this episode is your ultimate playbook.🔑 What You'll Learn in This Episode:The Trust Factor: Why real estate agents (and auctioneers) rank where they do, and why transparency is your best friend.The "Double Bid" Strategy: Andrew’s personal tactic for outsmarting the competition and saving money.Couples at Auction: The biggest mistake partners make on the auction floor and how to avoid the dreaded "what do we do now?" moment.Pre-Auction Offers: When to make them, when to hold back, and how they change the game.Reading the Room: Why your physical position in the auction room matters and how to spot a bluff.Market Realities: Why the transitionary market requires a new approach to appraisals and pricing.Don't let the competition intimidate you. Arm yourself with the strategies the pros use.🔗 Learn more about our guest, Andrew North:https://www.davidhibbins.co.nz/team-member/andrew-north/👇 Support the HomeRun Podcast!If you got value out of this episode, please hit that SUBSCRIBE button, smash the LIKE, and share it with a friend who is navigating the property market. Let us know in the comments: What is your biggest fear when it comes to buying at auction?

Is the traditional New Zealand dream of property-fueled wealth coming to an end? And why is that actually a good thing for our future?In this episode of Home Run, the realestate.co.nz podcast, we sit down with Sam Stubbs, the self-professed "Westie kid taking on the establishment" and founder of Simplicity KiwiSaver. Managing over $10 billion in funds, Simplicity is disrupting everything from retirement savings to property development and home lending. Sam shares his unfiltered thoughts on the dangers of wealth inequality, the truth about the psychology of money, and his bold prediction that the next 30 years will be the absolute best in New Zealand’s history. We also dive deep into how the rising tide of KiwiSaver funds will transform NZ from a capital-starved nation to a capital-rich powerhouse, fundamentally changing how Kiwis invest, build, and live. In this episode, we cover:The Future of NZ Wealth: Why the next three decades will bring unprecedented opportunity and prosperity to New Zealand. Disrupting the Banks: How Simplicity is bypassing traditional banks to offer low-cost, variable-rate first-home mortgages directly to its members. The Property Market Shift: Why every dollar saved in KiwiSaver is a dollar moving away from property speculation and into productive economic assets. Revolutionizing Real Estate: Exploring alternative business models for real estate agents, including flat fees and the untapped potential for buyer's agents in NZ. Building a Better NZ: Inside Simplicity Living—a zero-debt, vertically integrated property developer creating long-term, high-quality rental communities. The Psychology of Money: Sam’s personal journey from the hedonistic pursuit of wealth to finding true happiness and purpose in a non-profit model. Don't forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and let us know in the comments: Do you agree with Sam's vision for the future of New Zealand real estate?#SamStubbs #SimplicityKiwiSaver #NewZealandRealEstate #HomeRunPodcast #NZProperty #InvestingNZ #WealthGap #KiwiSaver #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateDisruption

Welcome to Home Run, the realestate.co.nz podcast. This episode features Kelly Eckhold, Chief Economist for Westpac, known for his expertise in macroeconomics and geopolitics. He previously worked for the International Monetary Fund, spending significant time in the Middle East oil industry. This discussion provides a deep dive into the global economy.

Richard Thode is proving you don’t need slick sales tactics or a sharp suit to dominate real estate. In just six years at Ray White Epsom, he’s built a reputation as one of the network’s top performers — by doing the opposite of what most agents do.

In this episode of HomeRun, Richard breaks down why pushing buyers rarely works, how reading the room closes more deals than pressure ever could, and the systems he uses to turn buyers into future vendors.

From reinventing stale listings to networking with some of New Zealand’s biggest business leaders on the golf course, this is a raw look at what it really takes to win in the modern property market.

There’s constant recession talk, rate cuts on the horizon, and investors sitting on the sidelines — so are we heading for more pain, or is this the start of the comeback?

Nick Goodall joins us on the HomeRun, brought to you by realestate.co.nz, to unpack the economic signals most people are ignoring and what they could mean for property investors.

This isn’t the safe, polite property chat — it’s the real money conversation.

Listen before you make your next move. 🎙️

A year in review across New Zealand real estate, property development, architecture, and housing policy. In this end-of-season recap, we reflect on the biggest conversations, standout guests, and key lessons from 20+ interviews — from what makes a smart long-term property investment, to passive homes and healthy housing, to why planning, consents, and regulation remain major handbrakes across the system. We unpack the common themes that kept coming up all year: the importance of the right team, early advice, informed decision-making, and understanding the system before pressure hits. A look back at what we’ve learned, what surprised us, and where the conversation goes next.

You think NZ real estate agents are all suits and small talk? Think again. We sit down with Diego Traglia — the school-dropout turned Auckland’s #1 agent — and unpack all the raw truth they don’t want you to hear. 💥

👉 He started at Burger King. ✅

👉 He washed cars in South Auckland. ✅

👉 Now he’s selling houses like hotcakes, dominating the listings and rewriting the rules. ✅

In this episode of HomeRun, we ask the uncomfortable questions: Is real estate in NZ rigged for insiders? Are average sellers getting fleeced while “top agents” laugh all the way to the bank? Diego doesn’t hold back — and neither do we.

Don’t tune in if you’re comfortable with status-quo. But if you want your eyes opened on what really goes on behind the “For Sale” sign — hit play.

🔊#HomeRunPodcast #DiegoTraglia #RealEstateExposed #NZProperty #NoFluff

New HomeRun episode out now!We sit down with Hamish Firth — Managing Director of Mt Hobson Group — one of Aotearoa’s most experienced resource-consent consultants. After 25 years navigating the tangled planning system, he’s seen it all: from shiny proposals to agonising delays, council curveballs, and projects that never see the light of day.In this episode we get real about what really gets consented — and what gets buried. Because in our housing/development world, the difference between “approved” and “dead in the water” often comes down to one meeting or one misunderstood clause.Tune in if you want the truth about how building dreams and nightmares get shaped.

On this episode of Home Run, we talk with Paul Glover — Kiwi actor turned real estate agent and TV host — about the unlikely crossover between Hollywood and housing. He opens up about his acting past, why he jumped into property, and how his on-screen grit helps him navigate real-estate high stakes.