The REINZ Awards for Excellence are back for 2026 – with some exciting updates to explore. 

Following feedback from members and the wider industry, we’ve refreshed parts of the Awards programme, while keeping the core structure members are familiar with. The 2026 Awards – covering the Awards Year between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 – include clearer criteria in a number of categories, several new and exciting awards, and strengthened verification and auditing processes. If you’ve taken part in the awards before, you’ll see that much will still feel familiar – for example, the overall submission process hasn’t changed and in most categories the information required is the same as for previous years. 

We’ve also launched a dedicated Awards webpage bringing together everything you need to know about the awards. You’ll find a simple summary of what’s changed and what hasn’t, FAQs, sector-specific updates, and more. We’ll continue sharing updates in the coming weeks – through the website, emails and other channels – as we build towards entries opening in early May. 

Sector Spotlight: Commercial & Industrial

Over the coming weeks and through April, we’ll highlight different sectors of real estate – and this time we’re putting the spotlight on Commercial & Industrial.  

Two new categories have been introduced for 2026 to recognise outstanding transactions in the C&I sector: 

• Sales Deal of the Year – recognising a completed commercial or industrial property transaction
• Commercial Leasing Deal of the Year – recognising an outstanding leasing transaction 

These awards create new opportunities to showcase the scale, complexity and commercial impact of major C&I deals. They recognise the deals that shape the commercial property landscape – from major sales to complex leasing transactions.  

At the same time, much of the C&I awards structure remains familiar. The C&I Salesperson of the Year category continues, and the core performance information required for entries remains the same. 

Find Out More

 At the end of this month, we’ll publish the full REINZ Awards Terms and Conditions, including detailed entry requirements and judging criteria. In the meantime, there’s plenty of information on the Awards website to help you start planning your entry.

Take a look at what’s new for 2026 and start thinking about how the refreshed REINZ Awards could be your opportunity to shine! 

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