Connecting Academia, the Property Industry, and Society

The Property Foundation is an independent charity working to promote our Vision: A property sector rooted in our society and culture where universities and industry are connected and knowledge flows freely between them.

Welcome to

The Property Foundation

We have a clear goal based on the Foundation’s 30 year history of bringing together people working in the industry and academia.

Our Mission is to enhance the sector’s ability to address key issues and opportunities through improved access to independent academic research and the stimulation of new research while encouraging and supporting young talent into the industry.

Provide Opportunities

Provide opportunities for frequent, high-quality interaction, dialogue and knowledge transfer between academic, industry and societal leaders.

Facilitate Funding

Facilitate funding for postgraduate, post-doc and faculty level research projects that are relevant to the needs and goals of the property industry.

Attract More Youth

Attract more high school students to enrol for property degrees by raising awareness of the value of a career in property.

Provide Opportunities

Provide opportunities for frequent, high-quality interaction, dialogue and knowledge transfer between academic, industry and societal leaders.

Facilitate Funding

Facilitate funding for postgraduate, post-doc and faculty level research projects that are relevant to the needs and goals of the property industry.

Attract More Youth

Attract more high school students to enrol for property degrees by raising awareness of the value of a career in property.

What's New in Research

Automated Valuation Models for Smarter and Fairer Office Rent Reviews

Associate Professor at UoA Olga Filippova has won first prize in our research ‘translation’ competition. Her submission summarizing research into AVMs was judged to address a significant issue and offer value to the industry and be relatively easy to put into practice. AVMs represent a practical and commercially realistic opportunity to modernise commercial office rent review processes in New Zealand. AVMs can support more accurate pricing, greater transparency and more efficient negotiations. As data availability in NZ improves AVM-supported rent reviews will continue to strengthen benefiting landlords, tenants and the wider property sector.

Valuers and developers know that proximity to airports has a negative impact on the value of high-end residential, right?

Well, maybe it's not that simple. Professor Graham Squires of Lincoln University (NZ) deep dived the data for Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown and uncovered some surprising nuances that developers should be considering. Distance comprises a positive pricing effect within Auckland and Christchurch, whereas in Wellington and Queenstown the pricing effect is negative. The Christchurch region reveals contrasting findings, showing there to be a higher positive pricing effect for higher-priced housing, which gradually decreases when moving down the quantiles.

A new tool for evaluating biodiversity impact of large scale developments

This is a great example of the property related research coming out of our universities that property professionals should have on their radar. The RMA requires councils to at least maintain indigenous biodiversity. That's a hurdle in large scale developments. Professor Claire Freeman at Victoria University of Wellington's School of Architecture and colleagues from other expert organisations have built a tool that specifically and rapidly evaluates native biodiversity for consent applications.
Image Credit: The Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology , Victoria University Wellington

Lincoln University Buddy Programme Lunch 7 August 2026

Connecting Future Property Leaders: Lincoln University Buddy Programme

We recently launched the Buddy Programme for Lincoln University’s Bachelor of Land and Property Management students, hosted at PwC’s Christchurch offices. The initiative brought together 60 ambitious students and 9 leading property companies to build early industry connections and foster mentorship.

Why the Buddy Programme Matters
For Students: Ask real-world questions, explore day-to-day career paths, and kickstart a professional network before graduating.
For Employers: Connect directly with emerging talent, streamline early-career recruitment, and gain fresh insight into the next generation's aspirations.

Program Structure
Kickoff Lunch Event: An informal setting connecting students directly with employer hosts.
Exclusive Site Visits: Half-day experiences including host office visits and guided tours of active project or asset sites (running through 31 October 2026). Click below for some photos and to see which companies participated.

The 2026 Property Case Challenge 22 July 2026

Rising to the Challenge: 2026 Property Foundation Case Competition

On July 22, student teams from Auckland, Lincoln, and Massey universities competed in The Property Foundation’s 2026 Case Challenge. Given just one weekend to tackle a complex, real-world property scenario, the teams delivered sharp strategic solutions backed by thorough research and financial acumen.

Impressing Industry Leaders: A panel of senior property professionals judged the event, praising the participants for their polished presentations and confident handling of probing questions during the Q&A sessions.

Next Stop- Sydney: All three teams now move on to represent New Zealand at the PropConnex competition in Sydney this September, where they will face off against 13 Australian universities. Special thanks to the industry professionals dedicating their time and expertise to coach our Kiwi teams for the upcoming challenge! Click below for the photos.

View Photos

Academia-Industry Symposium 22 July 2026

Uniting Research and Real Estate Practice

The Property Foundation’s recent symposium brought together top faculty from Lincoln University, Massey University, and the University of Auckland with executives from 10 property companies plus invited guests. Together, they explored how industry and academia connect today—and how to build even stronger partnerships for tomorrow.

Click below to find out who took part, what they discussed and see some photos.

Who We Are

Our Board of Trustees guides the implementation of our Vision and Mission. Together, they bring a balanced blend of expertise and experience in both the property industry and academia.