Rental warrants examined by minister

National’s new housing minister is looking into the possibility of a “warrant of fitness” for rental properties.
25-03-2013 more >>

'Plan action needed now'

Aucklanders can’t afford to wait three years for the city’s unitary plan to be ratified, the Employers and Manufacturers Association says.
25-03-2013 more >>

Migration turnaround likely to boost prices

New Zealand gained more new residents than it lost last month, new data shows - and it's likely to provide more fuel for the housing market.
22-03-2013 more >>

Newland: Consider shared equity scheme

New Zealand should think about following Britain’s lead and introducing shared equity loans for new homes, commentator Olly Newland says.
21-03-2013 more >>

Plan offers investors opportunities: NZPIF

Landlords holding on to properties with big sections may be able to get their money’s worth out of them under proposed changes in the draft Auckland plan, says the New Zealand Property Investors Federation.
20-03-2013 more >>

Under-building not a nationwide problem

Housing construction would need to double in Auckland over the next few years to keep up with demand but the construction industry is already keeping pace with growth in most parts of the country, Westpac’s economists say.
19-03-2013 more >>

IMF issues bubble warning

The International Monetary Fund has sounded a warning on the possibility of a housing bubble destabilising the Kiwi economy.
19-03-2013 more >>

Lower rates may be looming

Lower mortgage rates could be on the horizon after yesterday’s official cash rate announcement and monetary policy statement, one economist says.
15-03-2013 more >>

OCR on hold: RBNZ

The Reserve Bank has left the official cash rate unchanged at 2.5% and expects it to stay that way at least until the end of the year.
14-03-2013 more >>

OLLY NEWLAND: Capital gains tax is not the answer

No matter how often the argument against a Capital Gains Tax is put forward, the subject is still popular among those who, it seems, fail to realise that implementing such a tax will solve nothing. The suggestion comes up again and again, and it has almost become an article of faith for ‘the left’ some of whom seem to imbue a Capital Gains Tax (CGT) with mythic powers to right all social wrongs.
14-03-2013 more >>

Foreign fears over-hyped: Alexander

At most, 5.6% of New Zealand house sales go to foreign buyers who do not plan to live in this country, BNZ chief economist Tony Alexander says.
14-03-2013 more >>

Tools no substitute for OCR: Economists

Macroprudential tools won’t be a substitute for official cash rate (OCR) increases, according to economists.
13-03-2013 more >>

Sales numbers up but pace slowing: REINZ

More houses sold in February than in any February month for six years, the latest Real Estate Institute Statistics reveal.
12-03-2013 more >>

REINZ sells headquarters

The Real Estate Institute is listening to its own advice and has put its headquarters on the market.
11-03-2013 more >>

Price momentum spreading: QV

Most of New Zealand’s main centres reported a house price rise in February, according to QV.
08-03-2013 more >>

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 >>