12/08/2026
In 2016, before founding Zodiak Management, Stefan Nikolic and his brother became property investors at just 25 and 23. Their first investment was a one-bedroom apartment in Auckland C*D.
The numbers looked straightforward at first. The apartment had a tenant paying NZD $485 per week. At first, it looked like a modestly positive investment. But after all costs were included, they were actually losing NZD $137 a week.
Then the tenant left.
With no experience in short-term rentals, they decided to try Airbnb while searching for another long-term tenant.
The first booking came within an hour. More bookings came thereafter.
That experiment eventually generated around NZD $49,000 in annual revenue and more than NZD $20,500 in pre-tax profit.
But the biggest lesson was not the numbers.
It was realising that the same property could produce a very different result under a different strategy.
That experience ultimately led to the creation of Zodiak Management and shaped how we think about property management today.
The right question is not always, “How much rent can this property get?”
Sometimes, it is: “What is the best economic use of this property?”
We have shared the full story, including the numbers, challenges, and lessons that started it all.
Read the full story: https://www.zodiak.co.nz/blog/direct-comparison-of-my-apartment-before-and-after-airbnb-b8d90
Explore a direct comparison of an apartment before and after Airbnb. Learn valuable hosting insights to transform your own property for success.
