Talking Property Development with John Kenel

Some properties will ruin you, not because they're bad, but because they're lemons. I've been buying property since 1997 and I've owned some disasters myself.

 

Leaky homes, cross lease issues, body corporate nightmares, flood zones, bad orientation - these aren't just minor problems. They're deal breakers that can cost you hundreds of thousands.

 

In this video, I walk you through the biggest red flags to spot before you buy. From...

The government just announced new rules for minor dwellings - granny flats, sleepouts, tiny homes. The ads say 'no consent needed' which sounds like you can just drop a small house in your backyard.

 

Not quite.... So tune in to find out whats actually happening.

 

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Free guide to wills, trusts & passing down you...

I'll admit it - I've been carrying anger towards New Zealand for years. It started with the lockdowns, the mandates, the way families were separated and businesses crushed while costs kept ticking. That resentment started bleeding into everything.

 

But carrying anger like that is toxic. It wears you down and narrows your view. So I made a conscious choice to let it go.

 

Once I stepped back, I saw what I'd been missing - New Zeala...

We've already seen this playbook in New Zealand. Vaccine passes turned your rights into permissions overnight... No jab, no job, no cafe, no life. That technology didn't disappear. It's still there, updating every six months, waiting for the next 'emergency.'

 

Now they're pushing digital ID as convenience. Faster logins, easier renewals, all your life in one app. But when everything's connected to one system the government control...

I've been a hard asset guy for 30 years, property, productive businesses, real stuff you can't print. Over the last few years, I've been telling anyone who'd listen to look at gold and silver. Now everyone's paying attention.

 

Gold's up 70% this year, silver's up 150%. That's on top of strong gains last year. Something's definitely happening, but is it hype or something real?

 

In this video, I break down what's actually driving t...

If you're waiting for house prices to crash or interest rates to fall further, you might have already missed the boat. While everyone was waiting for perfect conditions, something big quietly happened in New Zealand that most people didn't even notice.

 

I've been through three decades of property cycles, and it's always the same story. The best opportunities show up when things still feel uncomfortable.

 

In this video, I break do...

Final Property Development Club podcast for 2025! Andrew Crosby joins me to wrap up the year and look ahead to what's coming.

 

We dive deep into the government's new development levies system - how it'll replace development contributions and what it means for developers. Plus, economist Cameron Bagrie's bombshell claim that we're actually overbuilding in New Zealand right now (34,000 consents vs 20,000 homes needed).

 

Andrew shar...

People joke Gen Z will own nothing and be happy. They won’t be happy. If we keep tilting rules toward big corporate landlords, ownership concentrates and everyone else rents.

 

I’ve built more than 1,000 homes in NZ. Most were made possible by private investors backing real projects. That’s how we actually add supply.

 

In this video: why private landlords matter, what build-to-rent does and doesn’t solve, how student debt and low ...

Queenstown’s on a different planet: $30m sales, talk of $100m builds, and a wave of $5m+ buyers.

 

Meanwhile in Auckland you can still find new townhouses around $599k.

First-home buyers are 27% of the market.

The NZD sits near 0.56 USD, 0.86 AUD, 0.45 CHF.

Consents are up, concrete pours are still down.

And Auckland’s MDRS flip has blindsided projects.

 

We cover Queenstown’s ultra-lux market, FHB momentum, investor sentiment, ren...

If Labour’s CGT lands, rental supply falls, rents rise, and redevelopment grinds to a halt, here’s what to do.

John Kenel’s take on Labour’s proposed Capital Gains Tax. No fluff. Practical consequences for landlords, developers and investors.

What I cover:

• Why Treasury modelling points to roughly a 5% immediate rent rise.

• How targeting property only will shrink rental supply and clog redevelopment.

• Small business and hom...

Is New Zealand really a safe haven for anxious millionaires—or just political window dressing? In this wide-ranging chat, John Kenel (21 years, 1,000+ homes built) and Darcy dig into:

• NZ’s “Active Investor Plus” $5m visa, why demand may be limited, and a fairness take on foreign-buyer levies • Cost-of-living angle: using a levy to fund GST-off-food • Immigration settings vs “tax the rich” politics, and Australia’s Division 296 su...

In this mini podcast episode — just 5 minutes — I chat through what’s really going on in the market right now and why I reckon this could be the perfect time for property developers to get moving.

We’ll look at what’s shifting, what it means, and how smart developers can make the most of it. I’ll share a few strategies, a couple of things to watch out for, and hopefully give you a bit of clarity if you’re thinking about your next m...

If you own a modest home, you're now in the firing line. This video exposes why the lefts “Tax the Rich” spin is setting Kiwis against each other while the ultra-wealthy keep buying up more assets.   For more Property, Economics and Political commentary Watch more of my videos on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnKenel   💡 Want to get ahead financially? Check out my free ‘Build It Up’ series on YouTube — a no-fluff financial ...

If you're feeling stuck, uncertain, or just plain frustrated with where the property market’s heading — this episode will shake you awake.

In this action-packed episode of The Property Development Club Podcast, John and Andrew dive deep into:

• Whether house prices are actually affordable or it’s all smoke and mirrors

• Why youth unemployment is sitting at a shocking 18% in Auckland

• The rise of robots like "Flippy" and what i...

Global politics aren’t just headlines—they’re shaping the cost of living, the price of oil, and even what your house is worth.

In this episode, I connect the dots between wars in Europe, US debt and politics, and why oil could hit $150 a barrel.

You’ll learn how these global forces flow through to New Zealand—driving building costs, inflation, rents, and ultimately the value of your property.

I’ll also share thoughts on gold, share...

NZ Property 2025: Rising Costs, Stalled Growth…

But the Smart Move is Starting Now while headlines focus on falling prices and oversupply, because the real shift is already underway.

In this video, John Kenel and Andrew Crosby expose the truth about NZ property development in 2025 — rising infrastructure costs, council dysfunction, rental pressure, and why this could be the most important buying window we’ve seen in years.

This ...