POLITICAL & REGULATORY REPORT for February 2012

A summary of Parliamentary activities and media.
28-02-2013 more >>

Apartments pull building consent figures down

New Zealand home-building consents fell in January because a drop in the number of apartment approvals offset gains in other types of dwellings.
28-02-2013 more >>

Risk of property price fall: S&P

New Zealand is still at significant risk of a sharp correction in property prices, according to Standard and Poors.
28-02-2013 more >>

Govt moves to cool housing market

The government is looking at formalising Reserve Bank proposals to rein in credit growth, including restrictions on loan-to-value ratios, Finance Minister Bill English said today.
27-02-2013 more >>

Rental property still tops for Aucklanders

Rental property is still the asset seen as most likely to provide the best returns, according to ASB’s latest investor confidence survey.
26-02-2013 more >>

Property investors 'still confident'

ASB’s latest housing confidence survey shows fewer people think now is a good time to buy – but investors be won’t among them, according to Auckland Property Investors Association president David Whitburn.
25-02-2013 more >>

Andrew King: Slash house prices? It would be a disaster

Andrew King says it is wrong to say housing investors are reaping tax advantages over ordinary buyers.
22-02-2013 more >>

Regional yield variations examined

Rental yields have dropped in all regions over the past two decades but some have experienced steeper falls than others, according to ANZ.
22-02-2013 more >>

LVR restrictions 'could provide wealthy buyers with cheap properties'

Wealthier overseas buyers would benefit from the introduction of loan-to-value restrictions on property, says the president of the Auckland Property Investors Association.
20-02-2013 more >>

"Property love affair" may be not so strong

New Zealanders may not be as heavily reliant on property investment as we have been led to believe.
19-02-2013 more >>

New record price for lifestyle blocks

A new record high median price has been recorded for lifestyle blocks.
18-02-2013 more >>

$100 million for property development: NZMS

New Zealand Mortgages and Securities says it has $100 million to invest in Auckland developments.
18-02-2013 more >>

Tim Hazledine: Housing crisis - what crisis?

Closer look at factors affecting market suggests family incomes most in need of our politicians' attention.
15-02-2013 more >>

Solid apartments 'sought-after'

Well-built, non-leaky apartments are likely to increase in value because of the collapse of Mainzeal, property commentator Olly Newland says.
15-02-2013 more >>

Insurance cover change coming this year

Insurer IAG has flagged changes to its insurance policies this year that may mean they do not cover the full cost of rebuilding disaster-hit homes in future.
15-02-2013 more >>

Survey reflects strong property market

New Zealand’s property market is buzzing, according to the first BNZ-REINZ residential market survey for the year.
14-02-2013 more >>

Aucklanders may be hit with LVR restrictions: Poll

It is becoming increasingly likely that the Reserve Bank may require Aucklanders in particular to have bigger deposits to buy property, economists say.
13-02-2013 more >>

Property price rise not just about shortage: Westpac

The fact that house prices are rising at a much faster rate than rents shows it's not just a supply and demand problem fuelling the market, economists say.
12-02-2013 more >>

Smith tackles development charges

New Housing Minister Nick Smith has wasted no time getting stuck into the housing affordability debate.
11-02-2013 more >>

QV stats hide big discrepancies

House price trends are turning skyward all over the country, but Quotable Value’s claim that house prices are now 2.6% above their latest market peak hides some major regional discrepancies.
11-02-2013 more >>

Rents up but yields down

Rent increases have not kept pace with house prices in most parts of the country over over the past year, reducing property investors’ yield.
08-02-2013 more >>

Green light for rebuild

A pick-up in the Christchurch rebuild rate may be on the way after a High Court judgement in favour of insurers.
08-02-2013 more >>

Any worker can own a home

Housing has been deemed unaffordable so often that it is now considered a fact. The key evidence has been the ratio of house prices to incomes which currently stands at 5.4, with 3 being the proposed ideal level.
07-02-2013 more >>

Anyone can buy a house: NZPIF

The New Zealand Property Investors Federation has developed a calculator to show that anyone with an income can afford to buy a property.
07-02-2013 more >>

Prices will increase more quickly this year: Alexander

House prices will rise faster this year than they did in 2012, BNZ’s chief economist says. Tony Alexander says a lack of supply and a turnaround in migration will push up prices.
07-02-2013 more >>