Lending against property through real estate private credit offers something different: regular income that doesn't depend on property values rising and isn't affected by the costs of owning and running a property.

New to real estate private credit? Private credit” is a broad label that tells investors very little on its own. Real estate private credit lends against property. Here are five questions to ask before investing.

What is a commercial building actually worth? For investors in unlisted property, the answer usually comes from a registered valuer, and it goes a long way towards setting what their investment is worth on paper. Here's how valuers arrive at that figure, why it matters and what makes it move.

Investor returns from unlisted commercial property come from two sources: rental income, paid to investors as monthly distributions after costs - and any capital gain when the property is sold. Understanding how each works explains what investors receive, why it can change and what drives an investment's performance over time.

You buy it to hold, it earns rent along the way and over time its value has the potential to grow. You don't expect to sell it overnight, and you generally don't check its value every day. Unlisted commercial property works on a similar basis.

For investors, the more important question is often how sustainability affects the fundamentals of their investment - income, operating and financing costs, future expenditure, resilience and ultimately, long-term value.

As wholesale investors look to balance and optimise their portfolios to meet evolving market conditions, real estate private credit as an alternative income option is gaining increasing attention in New Zealand.

For International Women's Day 2026 we spoke to two of the incredible women who continue to make a meaningful impact across our organisation.

Oyster Property Group has entered an unconditional contract to purchase Dress Smart Christchurch, the South Island’s only dedicated outlet shopping centre, in a 50/50 joint venture with an entity associated with London-based William Pears Group.

If you’re new to secondary market resales, we’ve outlined how Oyster’s secondary market works and how we support both buyers and sellers through each step.