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Stories by Susan Edmunds

Kiwi Stories

Written by Susan Edmunds

Is it cheaper to buy or rent?
Bank of New Zealand

Is it cheaper to buy or rent?

Annual ownership costs for a median home have fallen to about 35 per cent of household income, narrowing the gap with rent to a two-and-a-half-year low.

By Susan Edmunds • 4 min read • Yesterday
Auckland houses are cheap but should you invest in them?
Real estate

Auckland houses are cheap but should you invest in them?

Lower prices are drawing investors back to Auckland, but weak rents, higher costs and modest capital growth are limiting the appeal.

By Susan Edmunds • 4 min read • Last week
House buyers 'in the driver's seat' - QV
Real estate

House buyers 'in the driver's seat' - QV

Home sellers face weaker demand as QV says buyers have the upper hand and the average New Zealand house value has slipped to $892,580.

By Susan Edmunds • 3 min read • Last week
Youth unemployment at 'crisis level' and AI may mean recovery is tough, NZIER says
Construction

Youth unemployment at 'crisis level' and AI may mean recovery is tough, NZIER says

Recovery alone may not ease youth joblessness, with 15 to 19-year-olds facing 25.3 percent unemployment and AI adding uncertainty.

By Susan Edmunds • 3 min read • This month
Will the election have an impact on rents?
Housing

Will the election have an impact on rents?

Rents are expected to stay subdued despite the election, as weak demand, ample supply and household finances continue to cap increases.

By Susan Edmunds • 4 min read • This month
Card fee regulations are here, so why are card surcharges more common than ever?
Commerce Commission

Card fee regulations are here, so why are card surcharges more common than ever?

Consumers are still being hit by hefty card surcharges as retailers say lower interchange fees are hard to track and not yet filtering through.

By Susan Edmunds • 4 min read • This month
Do you know how risky your home is?
Real estate

Do you know how risky your home is?

Many buyers are overlooking flood and other hazard risks, leaving some homeowners exposed to higher premiums or uninsurable properties.

By Susan Edmunds • 4 min read • This month
Reserve Bank kept interest rates low too long, Covid-19 review finds
Risk & Compliance

Reserve Bank kept interest rates low too long, Covid-19 review finds

The review says delayed tightening helped drive inflation to 7.3 percent, forcing sharper rate rises and weighing on growth and jobs.

By Susan Edmunds • 5 min read • Last month
The rise of 'accidental landlords'
Real estate

The rise of 'accidental landlords'

More homeowners are turning failed sales into rentals, as weak demand leaves thousands stuck with property they did not plan to let out.

By Susan Edmunds • 4 min read • Last month
Westpac approved to issue digital IDs
Digital Transformation

Westpac approved to issue digital IDs

Business customers will soon be able to share bank details with fewer fraud risks, after the bank became the first in New Zealand cleared to issue digital IDs.

By Susan Edmunds • 3 min read • Last month
Why a financial adviser says nearly every rental property he's owned has lost money
Real estate

Why a financial adviser says nearly every rental property he's owned has lost money

With house price growth slowing, investors are increasingly chasing cashflow and higher yields as rental returns fail to cover costs.

By Susan Edmunds • 5 min read • Last month
House prices won't be back to 2021 levels until 2030, major bank says
Real estate

House prices won't be back to 2021 levels until 2030, major bank says

A slower, income-led recovery means buyers may not see nationwide house prices return to 2021 peaks until late 2029, ASB says.

By Susan Edmunds • 4 min read • Last month
What real estate agents now have to tell buyers about meth contamination
Housing

What real estate agents now have to tell buyers about meth contamination

Buyers will soon be told when meth residue tops 15 micrograms, as the Real Estate Authority tightens disclosure advice for salespeople.

By Susan Edmunds • 4 min read • Last month
Where rents are falling, and where they're not
Real estate

Where rents are falling, and where they're not

Mixed August data suggest New Zealand rents may have bottomed out, as rises in Canterbury and Otago offset falls on the West Coast and elsewhere.

By Susan Edmunds • 3 min read • Last month
Could Bitcoin collapse?
Encryption

Could Bitcoin collapse?

Bitcoin's slump has revived fears over whether investors could flee to the point that even the biggest cryptocurrency loses all value.

By Susan Edmunds • 5 min read • Wed, 26th Aug 2026
Where have all the ATMs gone?
Urban Planning

Where have all the ATMs gone?

Fewer free cash points are leaving many New Zealanders facing fees, longer trips and concerns about access as ATMs disappear.

By Susan Edmunds • 3 min read • Wed, 12th Aug 2026
From no to go: ASB U-turns on POLi
Fintech

From no to go: ASB U-turns on POLi

ASB partners with payment platform POLi to enable secure open banking payments, offering customers safer choices without using internet banking logins.

By Susan Edmunds • 3 min read • Wed, 7th May 2025

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