He was remanded in custody and will reappear in the High Court at Auckland in January.
Meanwhile police are working on piecing together what happened at the house.
Hours before she died the woman posted a series of photographs on Facebook showing her having dinner with her son.
Police were called to the woman's home just after 10pm.
She was unconscious, with a number of serious wounds.
Detective Inspector Tofilau Faa Va'aelua said the woman was transported to Middlemore Hospital but her injuries were too severe and she died soon after.
While officers were at the scene, Va'aelua said a man contacted police claiming responsibility for the violent attack.
He said officers located the man in Botany and he was taken to the Manukau Police Station.
He was later charged with murder.
Court documents reveal the man is a 33-year-old North Island farmer.
The suppression order prevents his specific location from being published.
Va'aelua confirmed the accused was known to the victim and police were not seeking anyone else in relation to the death.
The Herald spoke to a number of people in the street where the woman lived.
All were horrified to hear about the alleged murder - particularly after the death of British backpacker Grace Millane.
Millane was allegedly killed and her body dumped in bush in the Waitakere Ranges on the weekend of her 22nd birthday, just days after she arrived in Auckland as part of a year-long solo OE.
A 26-year-old man has been charged with Millane's murder and will next appear in the High Court at Auckland in late January.
Suppression orders also prevent publication of his name.
Flat Bush resident Vishaldeep Singh said he did not hear anything in his street until a police officer knocked at the door late last night.
When he answered the door there was "a lot of police officers" standing in the sleepy cul-de-sac.
He said the woman lived in an upstairs flat with her young son.
"She was a very kind lady.
"I'm feeling horrible ... I'm feeling sad for her son especially."
Singh said after police alerted him to the incident, he saw the little boy being held by another resident.
"I'm so, so, thankful to the lady who was holding him," he said.
The boy "slowly, slowly" went to sleep in the woman's arms.
A post mortem examination was expected to start today and police remained at the woman's home carrying out a forensic scene examination.
While police were not looking to charge anyone else in relation to the death, Va'aelua encouraged any witnesses to come forward.
"As the matter is before the courts, we are unable to provide further comment or discuss specific details of the case," he said.
- Additional reporting, Chelsea Boyle
