Clamp down on foreign buyers: Alexander

Foreign buyers should be restricted from buying existing houses in New Zealand, says BNZ chief economist Tony Alexander.
07-03-2013 more >>

Building activity picking up

New Zealand’s housing supply problem appears to be improving, albeit slowly. Nationwide building work rose 1.8% by volume in the December quarter, on top of an almost 10% jump the quarter before.
06-03-2013 more >>

Auckland vendors head to market: Barfoot

Auckland house prices did not shoot up in February because there were many more new listings on the market compared to the month before, Barfoot and Thompson says.
05-03-2013 more >>

ASB weighs up regions' house prices

Gisborne is the only region in New Zealand that experienced a house price drop in the year ended December, according to ASB’s latest Main Report regional economic scoreboard.
04-03-2013 more >>

Listings lag buyer demand: Realestate.co.nz

Listings are still not keeping up with demand in most regions of New Zealand, according to Realestate.co.nz’s report for February.
04-03-2013 more >>

Can any worker can own a home?

After last months article on housing affordability, where I looked at reasons why we do not have a housing crisis, I started to wonder if in fact anyone who was employed could own a home.
01-03-2013 more >>

RMA discussion 'welcome move'

Property consultant David Whitburn has welcomed Government proposals to revamp the Resource Management Act.
01-03-2013 more >>

LVR restrictions a bad move: Alexander

Imposing restrictions on loan-to-value ratios on home loans would have the opposite effect of what is intended, says BNZ’s chief economist.
01-03-2013 more >>

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 >>