Property Market stories
Tight supply and stronger demand lifted New Zealand house sales 12.3% in December, with prices rising in 15 of 16 regions.
Auckland's housing recovery is gathering pace, with low rates and tight listings expected to push prices higher in 2020.
Higher borrowing demand and scant listings pushed New Zealand’s national median house price to a record NZD $630,000 in November.
Tight housing supply and surging demand are pushing Dunedin values up 17% a year, with buyers still outpacing new listings.
Tight listings and lower bank serviceability tests are helping to lift New Zealand house values, with Auckland appearing to have bottomed out.
The freehold site could stay a motel, be subdivided or make way for housing as Taupo's property market keeps growing.
Nationwide house values rose 0.4% in October, as easing lending tests drew buyers back and lifted annual growth to 2.8%.
Mass timber is opening up faster, cheaper projects across Australia, with new code changes and local supply widening its use beyond niche builds.
Tight listings have helped support values in some Auckland suburbs, while Kumeu and Long Bay remain the most heavily marketed.
Big transport projects and a planned manufacturing hub are boosting demand for homes and rentals across Huntly and wider North Waikato.
House price growth is expected to remain modest as easing lending conditions and strong migration support demand, but listings stay tight.
Urban developers face rising pressure to add renewable power, fibre and automation as tenants demand cheaper, smarter services.
Wellington’s values have stalled for six months as more listings, weaker sales and shifting buyers cool the market after a 52% boom.
Top-end flats are showing some weakness, even as most apartment prices move broadly in line with the wider property market.
Home buyers can now compare suburb-level price shifts at a glance, as CoreLogic's map shows where values have risen, fallen or held steady.
Proptech startup Jasper has raised $2.3 million in a funding round led by pan-European investment and asset management firm M7 Real Estate.
Sensors, drones and automation are reshaping building upkeep, with smarter systems promising lower costs and better occupant comfort.
Looser deposit rules and bigger grants could help tenants buy sooner as Government-backed schemes are made more accessible.
Borrowers and savers face a shift as New Zealand rates fall, prompting calls to move cash into productive assets rather than bank deposits.
Rental demand, low upkeep and strong returns are the key tests for buyers weighing up a property investment, advisers say.
