8 min read 10 Mar 2026 Author : Andrew Nicol Founder, 20+ Years' Experience Investing In Property, Author & Host Reviewed by : Ed McKnight Resident Economist, with a GradDipEcon and over five years at Opes Partners, is a trusted contributor to NZ Property Investor, Informed Investor, Stuff, Business Desk, and OneRoof. Our top 6 developers in New Zealand right now are: Prominence Property Boutique Living Investors need to pick the right property developer . You need to have confidence the developer will turn those off-the-plan drawings into a fully-built house. That’s why many investors say to me: “Andrew, be honest. Who are the best developers in New Zealand?” In this article, you’ll learn the top 6 developers we work with here at Opes Partners . These are the ones we’ve worked with in the past and can stand behind because we’ve seen the finished product. Just so you know, none of the developers on this list paid us to be on it. I didn’t even ask them if they wanted to be on here. Do you have a question or comment about our top 6 developers? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section at the end of the page. More from Opes: What's the difference between Opes and buying from a developer? (Article) The 3 red flags that show when to run from a developer (Article) How do you know if a developer is any good (or not)? (Article) Why would I use Opes Partners rather than going to a developer directly? Here at Opes Partners we recommend New Build properties as investments. And we work with these top 6 property developers. So you might think … “you’re about to tell me your favourite developers . Why don’t I cut out the middleman and go directly to them?” The truth is, you could, and some people prefer that. But if you do go to a developer directly you do miss out on a few things. If you work with Opes: You get a financial adviser You get a Wealth Plan (a property investment plan). Your adviser shows you properties from lots of developers (not just the 6 on this list) Your adviser helps you run the numbers on the properties to make sure you buy an investment that suits you You get advice on how to buy and set up your investment property. You don’t get any of that when you go to a developer directly. Click here to see the full list of extras you get. So, if you want to buy a New Build investment property we can help you find the right property, from the right developer. It’s all part of the service we offer. Right, let’s get on to the top 6 developers. #1 – Oakridge Homes Builds: Standalone houses Location: Greater Christchurch – especially Kaiapoi, Rolleston, Halswell, Woodend and Belfast Suits: Property investors looking for capital growth and owner-occupiers Oakridge Homes is a young company (they only started in 2021). But don’t let this put you off. The brand and the company are young, but the team behind Oakridge Homes is extremely experienced. My team of financial advisers here at Opes have recommended over 500 Oakridge houses to investors. And I’ve worked with Oakridge director James Parker for years. We have a close relationship, and Oakridge asks my advice about the best locations to build so properties work for investors. The company primarily builds standalone houses. They focus on building in outer Christchurch suburbs and nearby satellite towns. This includes: Here's is an example of a recent Oakridge property in Kaiapoi: #2 – Prominence Property Builds: Townhouses Location: Auckland. Particularly North Shore, Central Auckland, Mangere Bridge Suits: Investors who want better-designed properties. Suits capital growth focused investors Prominence Property is led by Sharon Tran. Hands down, she builds some of the highest-quality townhouses I’ve seen in the investment market. So you can expect things like: Fully-tiled bathrooms Floating vanities Feature lighting Higher stud heights Floor-to-ceiling windows in living areas Sharon originally built primarily for owner-occupiers, often at price points above $1 million. But over the past two years she’s worked closely with Opes to make sure her high-spec homes stack up financially for investors too. For example, three-bedroom homes with garages in strong North Shore locations have sold for between $940k - $980k. For context, properties in that area often cost over $1 million. So, that price is sharp for that level of finish and the area. Prominence builds properties based on what tenants want in the area. This follows our tenant data and tips from our property managers and this is working to her advantage. She’s also financially strong. Prominence has a trusted funding partner who backs Sharon’s projects confidently. This gives her stability and the ability to move quickly when the right site becomes available. Opes has recommended 6 Prominence Property developments to investors and first home buyers. Jess, from Opes Property Management in Auckland, says Prominence Properties has built a reputation as a tenant favourite. Why? They build consistent, genuinely high-spec homes that tenants actually want to live in. At their 192 Methuen Road development all six townhouses were snapped up by tenants within 10 days of hitting the market. #3 – Four Avenues Builds: Townhouses Location: Christchurch Suits: Property investors looking for capital growth and owner-occupiers Four Avenues was started by 3 brothers in 2019: Jack, George and Rob. They come from the Clifford family, an established family in Christchurch who accumulated a lot of land over the years. The brothers are now developing this land, building townhouses in the Garden City. Here’s an example of a recent development in Linwood: Some of these properties were priced at $519,000. This is for sure one of the more affordable New Builds I’ve seen for a while. That doesn’t mean they just build cheap shoe boxes; their properties are good quality. I find these guys one of the easiest developers to work with. They come to me saying: “I’ve got this piece of land, what should we build? What’s going to work for property investors?” Tom, from Opes Property Management in Christchurch, says Four Avenues’ properties are consistently popular. Tenants love them because they are affordable for the quality. #4 – Sandford Property Group Builds: Townhouses Location: Mount Albert, Mount Roskill, Glen Innes Suits: Investors wanting centrally located, capital growth Sandford Property Group is a family-owned and operated developer. Opes has worked with them for just over a year. They have extensive experience building private homes and projects for the government. From my experience, the team at Sandford is detail-focused.

Sandford Property is selective about where they build too, and usually its central suburbs. Recent projects have included Mount Roskill, Mount Albert. Here is Eastview, one of their recent developments in Glen Innes. This was 18, 3-bedroom homes with a garage for $850k. One thing that stands out to us is the size of their homes, as they do tend to build above the Auckland average. Where most 3-bedroom homes will be 118-120m2, these townhouses were 134m2. Because they have good relationships with land suppliers they can buy land at better prices. This helps keep their high-spec homes affordable for investors. For example, the Eastview development was a lot cheaper compared to others in the area: Sandford Property works closely with the Opes team to make sure they’re building for investors. That means helping shape layouts based on tenant demand and property management data. #5 – Boutique Living Builds: Boutique-sized townhouse developments (3-6 units) Location: Christchurch Suits: First home buyers, investors, owner-occupiers As the name suggests, Boutique Living produces smaller, boutique-sized projects in Christchurch . They usually build 3-6 units at a time. They tend to build their townhouses in inner-city suburbs. Places like Spreydon, Somerfield, St Albans and Addington. Most of their properties have 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Trent Brown, Boutique Living’s director, says he doesn’t want to make projects too big for 2 reasons: He likes the idea that future owners won’t have too many neighbours And that investors won’t be competing with each other for tenants Boutique Living has been around since 2011, but it has only recently started working with us at Opes. I find Boutique Living so easy to deal with. We recently recommended 112 Warden Street, Richmond: This was a small development of 5, 2-bedroom townhouses. All but one came with a garage. #6 – Tuakiri Property Builds: Boutique-sized townhouse developments (less than 20) Location: Birkdale, Beach Haven, Birkenhead (Auckland’s North Shore) Suits: Property investors looking for capital growth and first-home buyers Ryan Matthews is the managing director of Tuakiri , a strong up-and-coming developer. This Auckland-based developer focuses on boutique-sized developments on the city’s North Shore. That means smaller developments of 6 to 20 units. But more recently they have been building over the bridge in Central, West and South Auckland . The North Shore is a little more expensive than other locations. That’s one of the reasons not as many New Build properties are going up in the area. This can be a big advantage, because there isn’t as much competition. Tuakiri properties usually have either a car park, carport or garage. Here’s a recent example on Aeroview Drive in Beach Haven. This was a collection of 18, 2 and 3-bedroom townhouses. One thing Opes likes about Tuakiri is they are great to work with. Tuakiri say they change their properties based on the target market. For example, properties for first-home buyers will have more premium products. These are things like: higher-spec bathrooms more design features like large windows and enhanced landscaping. Compare that to property investors . They want hard-wearing materials that are easily replaced if the tenant breaks something. Jess, from Opes Property Management in Auckland, says Tuakiri is one of the developers they work with most often. They’ve built a track record for delivering consistently high-quality projects that perform. A good example is their development at 107 Hendon Avenue in Mount Albert. It settled on December 23 (2 days before Christmas) and was leased almost immediately. And it’s not a one-off. Across their portfolio tenant turnover has been low. When properties do need re-renting, interest levels are high and it’s typically snapped up within two weeks. Why aren’t the big names on this list? These 6 developers aren’t the big names you think of when considering an investment property. You might notice we haven’t included some of the big names on this list. People like Mike Greer Homes , G.J. Gardner , Williams Corporation , Wolfbrook and Brooksfield . But the person building the “best” property (at the right price) doesn’t necessarily have the biggest marketing budget. That doesn’t mean big companies build bad properties at all. Of all the developers I’ve worked with, some are very large …. some are very small. But these are the 6 developers you may not have considered in the past. And several members of our staff have purchased properties from each of these. If you want to buy a New Build from these developers, you have two options. You can approach them directly, or you might like to work with a financial adviser here at Opes Partners . Free personalised wealth plan · $390 value Not sure which developer is right for you? That's exactly what we help with. Sit down with an Opes adviser and get a tailored wealth plan - we'll match you with the right property based on your goals, budget, and timeline. Andrew Nicol, Managing Director at Opes Partners, is a seasoned financial adviser and property investment expert with 20+ years of experience. With 40 investment properties, he hosts the Property Academy Podcast, co-authored 'Wealth Plan' with Ed Mcknight, and has helped 1,894 Kiwis achieve financial security through property investment. This article is for your general information. It’s not financial advice. See here for details about our Financial Advice Provider Disclosure . So Opes isn’t telling you what to do with your own money. We’ve made every effort to make sure the information is accurate. But we occasionally get the odd fact wrong. Make sure you do your own research or talk to a financial adviser before making any investment decisions. You might like to use us or another financial adviser The developers Opes recommends (and the ones we don't) Who are all the developers you work with? Well, we counted them. In total there are 123 developers that we have had a relationship with over the last 3 years. Williams Corporation – do they build good investment properties? an honest review Thinking about buying a Williams Corporation property? Here is an honest review of who this developer is and whether one of Williams Corporation’s properties could be the right fit for you Wolfbrook– Do they build good investment properties? In this article, you’ll learn the pros and cons of Wolfbrook and whether their properties are right for your property portfolio. What’s the difference between Opes and buying from a developer directly? Many investors who focus on New Builds ask: “Why would I use a company like Opes Partners? Why not go to a developer directly?” The 3 red flags that show when to run from a developer You’ll learn the 3 red flags that suggest a developer might have a bit more risk so you can weigh up the risks before making your investment decision. Top 5 property developers in Christchurch [2026] In this article, you'll learn our top 5 picks for developers in Christchurch. Top 5 Auckland property developers Here are our top 5 developers in Auckland in no particular order. What happens if the developer liquidates and something is wrong with my New Build? You’ll learn why developers liquidate companies and how to get your property fixed if something goes wrong. 3 ways to check if a developer’s cashback is dodgy Learn how to spot a grubby cashback from a legitimate one. That includes the 3 tests you can use to see if you’re getting a good deal (or if a developer is pulling the wool over your eyes). How does Opes tell if a developer is good or not? (8-step process revealed) Before any property reaches an investor, Opes puts each developer through a strict 8-step review to make sure only top-quality projects make the cut.