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Median dwelling values have now declined for eight consecutive months but the rate of decline is slowing

Property / news
Median dwelling values have now declined for eight consecutive months but the rate of decline is slowing
House on truck

The median value of New Zealand dwellings dropped another half a per cent in October and is now 2.89% lower than it was in October last year, according to the latest valuation data from CoreLogic.

According to CoreLogic's Home Value Index, the median value of New Zealand dwellings was $805,984 in October.

CoreLogic says the country's median dwelling value has now declined for eight consecutive months, making it 5.1% lower than it was in February this year.

However the rate of decline has slowed over the last couple of months, suggesting values may be close to bottoming out if the trend continues.

"The latest fall in national home values suggests that even though mortgage rates have already dropped quite sharply, the influence of job losses and the wider feelings of reduced job security are playing the more important roles at present," CoreLogic NZ Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson said.

Across the country, Queenstown-Lakes District has the country's most expensive residential property values by far, with a median value of $1,500,090, followed by Auckland's North Shore's $1,266,751, and its neighbouring district Rodney at $1,217,057.

At the other end of the price scale the country's cheapest housing is in the South Island district of Buller, where the median value was $370,347.

There were only three other districts with median values below $400,000 - Kawerau $389,148, Wairoa $374,813 and Ruapehu District $386,062.

The table below shows the median values for all urban areas around the country and their monthly, quarterly and annual changes.

CoreLogic Hedonic Home Value Index
Residential Dwellings
October 2024
  Median Dwelling Value Monthly Change  (%) Quarterly Change (%) Annual Change (%)
All of Aotearoa $805,984 -0.49% -1.74% -2.89%
Northland $705,563 -0.94% -2.44% -5.48%
Far North District $652,719 -1.08% -1.80% -5.91%
Whangarei District $725,235 -0.76% -2.53% -4.21%
Kaipara District $758,319 -1.34% -3.41% -8.46%
Auckland Region $1,058,756 -0.67% -2.32% -5.77%
Auckland - Rodney $1,217,057 -0.40% -1.14% -4.55%
Auckland - North Shore $1,266,751 -0.57% -1.39% -5.49%
Auckland - Waitakere $920,361 -0.63% -2.18% -6.12%
Auckland - Central suburbs $1,141,716 -0.76% -3.42% -6.32%
Auckland - Manukau $994,664 -0.90% -2.01% -5.67%
Auckland - Papakura $823,957 -0.12% -0.82% -6.25%
Auckland - Franklin $913,129 -0.13% -2.15% -3.66%
Waikato Region $785,382 -0.33% -1.14% 0.19%
Hamilton $742,928 -0.74% -1.96% -1.08%
Hauraki District $638,025 0.25% 0.61% 1.02%
Waikato District $912,026 -0.41% -0.20% 3.61%
Matamata-Piako District $706,085 0.62% -1.44% -2.11%
Waipa District $915,382 0.19% -0.59% 0.44%
Otorohanga District $599,347 -1.13% -3.75% -6.02%
South Waikato District $416,911 -0.74% -3.33% -1.55%
Bay of Plenty $841,218 -0.11% -1.07% -2.30%
Tauranga $900,931 -0.05% -1.11% -3.00%
Western Bay of Plenty District $1,036,269 -0.36% -1.83% -1.74%
Rotorua District $639,059 0.10% 0.49% 0.70%
Whakatane District $699,092 -0.09% -1.28% -6.21%
Kawerau District $389,148 -0.50% -3.34% -5.55%
Opotiki District $710,191 -1.40% -3.60% 3.14%
Gisborne District $582,112 0.14% -2.27% -4.58%
Wairoa District $374,813 -0.69% -2.74% -0.55%
Hawke's Bay Region $662,681 -0.56% -1.77% -2.46%
Hastings District $704,418 -0.12% -0.87% -1.83%
Napier City $664,145 -1.12% -2.70% -3.61%
Central Hawke's Bay District $592,577 -0.31% -2.15% -1.93%
Waitomo District $450,398 -0.66% -3.03% -1.37%
Ruapehu District $386,062 -0.45% -2.26% -2.51%
Taupo District $795,607 0.13% 1.24% 3.29%
Taranaki $631,416 -0.18% -0.75% 1.13%
New Plymouth District $689,049 -0.11% -0.41% 2.42%
Stratford District $501,815 -0.18% -0.73% -2.67%
South Taranaki District $414,575 -0.80% -3.17% -5.21%
Manawatu/Whanganui Region $531,097 -0.44% -1.47% -1.39%
Whanganui District $478,421 0.20% -1.16% 4.15%
Rangitikei District $439,179 -0.77% -3.09% -3.14%
Manawatu District $618,775 -1.09% -1.39% 0.37%
Palmerston North City $597,788 -0.44% -1.12% -2.71%
Tararua District $385,826 -0.29% -2.21% -4.79%
Horowhenua District $524,141 -0.46% -1.82% -3.56%
Wellington Region $772,116 -1.15% -3.08% -3.89%
Kapiti Coast District $791,787 -1.23% -3.61% -0.73%
Porirua City $721,249 -0.54% -1.05% -3.31%
Upper Hutt City $719,203 -0.84% -2.75% -1.17%
Lower Hutt City $693,810 -0.74% -3.04% -3.92%
Wellington City $867,454 -1.55% -3.46% -5.28%
Masterton District $561,721 -0.21% -0.83% -0.20%
Carterton District $654,011 -1.47% -5.55% -6.09%
South Wairarapa District $753,450 -1.47% -3.78% -8.31%
Tasman Nelson Marlborough $756,529 0.22% -0.57% 1.47%
Tasman District $858,658 -0.16% -0.73% 2.87%
Nelson City $714,062 0.50% -0.18% -0.38%
Marlborough District $687,812 0.46% -0.75% 1.46%
Kaikoura District $744,936 -0.25% 0.63% 1.09%
West Coast Region $415,398 -1.46% -2.60% 3.64%
Buller District $370,347 -1.81% -2.93% 0.99%
Grey District $423,689 -0.98% -2.59% 6.17%
Westland District $466,106 -1.84% -2.33% 2.81%
Canterbury $700,438 0.02% -0.27% 1.46%
Christchurch  $685,438 0.17% -0.02% 1.84%
Hurunui District $737,011 -0.53% -0.84% 0.11%
Waimakariri District $764,155 -0.20% -0.87% 0.69%
Selwyn District $854,540 -0.49% -0.83% 0.13%
Ashburton District $552,193 0.48% 0.39% 2.50%
Timaru District $516,762 -0.16% -0.79% 2.64%
Mackenzie District $694,054 0.47% -1.17% 0.56%
Waimate District $493,316 -0.46% 0.12% 0.87%
Waitaki District $470,158 -0.68% -1.72% 3.32%
Otago $671,138 -0.14% -0.65% 1.79%
Central Otago District $835,664 0.15% -1.20% 0.98%
Queenstown-Lakes District $1,500,090 -0.01% -0.63% 1.70%
Dunedin City $604,595 -0.38% -0.35% 1.80%
Clutha District $427,944 1.16% -0.29% 3.61%
Southland Region $481,140 -0.34% -0.80% 3.50%
Southland District $545,388 0.22% 0.89% 4.90%
Gore District $417,785 -0.04% -1.31% 1.59%
Invercargill City $474,212 -0.67% -1.47% 3.07%

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77 Comments

"Rate of decline is slowing in the last couple of months"

This must be the best of the spring bounce confronting a bloating inventory. 

Job insecurity IS front and centre. 

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23

1. Job insecurities 

2. Net migration declining 

3. Internet rates still high 

4. Rental market weakening 

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22

3. Internet rates still high 

You should be able to get unlimited high speed fibre quite cheaply if you shop around HO   ;-)

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9

Yvil hahahah that,s funny

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0

Yvil,  if you shop around, you'll find a cheap psychiatric institution for yourself 

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3

These comment sections are always interesting. There seems to be a big difference between what commenators want to happen and what is likely to happen.

There could be a bit more of a downside.

Also, bank wait times have blown out so there must be some people thinking of starting a property search. OCR has some downward movement to go. So the downside in the market may not be much.

The next 6 months will be telling, but I don't personally think things will move much in either direction.

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6

"There seems to be a big difference between what commentors want to happen and what is likely to happen"

Well said indeed!  Many comments are often more akin to someone blindly supporting their sports team, no matter what.  Very few commenters have open minds to see data neutrally, and accept a different point of view, which is crucial to make good financial decisions.

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6

Agree Yvil.

I am sticking to my view that we are somewhere near the bottom, but I doubt there will be any big increase either. However there are both downside and upside risks to that view, and I will change my view as the data changes. 

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4

Yep

And I will stick to the HPI to inform my view. I suspect sales of lower priced shit boxes is pulling down the median a tad

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3

It's like the reserve Bank said: house prices are still at the upper level of sustainability...(whatever that means!)... is there an app you can get that translates the RB language back into English? 

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10

It means things are not Tip Top

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11

Sustainable is said instead of affordable and they might even trick some people to think they are talking about the same thing but they aren't at all.

It means they've given up on affordable house prices and sustainable is about the level which above it might cause extreme financial stresses/crisis or negative outcomes in the economy (someone else might be able to define it better).

To me having a massive exodus of Kiwis largely attributed to these so called sustainable prices, should be seen as a level which is causing negative outcomes in the country. But perhaps if they can import enough people to replace them then it's sustainable to them. 

 

Up
17

Very good reply. Thank you.

They also talk about how robust our financial system is. I think the opposite. The last 2 years has really exposed the economy as a one trick pony. Everything grinds to a halt when house prices stop going up. NZ is in a tough spot here, I personally don't think we've seen the worst of it yet. 

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17

Hundreds of thousands of mostly well-paying jobs in our economy are directly or indirectly supported by construction activity. So, the industry falling off a cliff will have major ripple effects across our already weak economy.

Can't say the worst is over yet and a good chunk of the skilled workforce will be gone by the time the market starts to recover.

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15

And the best time to harness this realisation is now. Implement change, change policy and focus, incentivise small business over house prices, with a longer term focus than the next 10 year housing cycle.

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7

I’d argue that it was the high interest rates more than the house prices that put a halt to the economy. Yes, the wealth effect plays a role, but it’s dwarfed by the cost of borrowing and reduced discretionary income 

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2

Drop baby Drop.. the bottom is widening..

Matter of time before the housing market caves in

 

The rental market is flooded with vacant properties.. 

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25

Good news - renters may be happier.

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7

Not really.  There is no practical 'in place' way to reduce your rent.  You have to move and that is a significant cost barrier.  That move cost is also the reason I advocate for no cause [of the tenant] eviction notices to include a moving cost allowance eg $2,000.

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4

That's quite a good idea.

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0

Agreed. Property investors are propping up rents by up to $500 a week. It’s a terrible investment. Great to see.

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18

And many are cashflow positive. There aren’t as many investors sweating out there as many on here think

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3

Housing market has had a softer landing than many here foresaw.......

Average house prices are up by 130 per cent since 2011. (Yes, you read that correctly.)

Home owners/investors who play a strategic long-term game are doing very nicely indeed. 👍 😁

The housing market remains on a stable long-term trajectory. That's much to the annoyance of many here - most notably Retired-Poppy, who suffers from terminal pessimism. 👿

TTP

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5

FYI S&P500 (INX) is up 550% since 2011

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12

Exactly. I really don't understand the housing obsession at all. Every single investment I have is significantly better returns than our housing market from 2011-now. They're all highly liquid assets, and give the benefit of diversifaction. Two issues that are hitting home to those with all their eggs in the NZ market. That's just from a financial perspective. And we get to live in an area / house that is much nicer than we would want to pay to own (because they are obscenly overpriced due to said obession).

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8

Define "Better returns". Home ownership has loads of benefits that you cannot put a price on. Everything doesn't always simply boil down to dollars & cents.

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1

It does in aged care LOL

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2

Not really in the end it all boils down to your health. You can have all the money in the world but if you are dying of Cancer.....You can live into your 80's in your own home if you are mortgage free and are still fit and healthy.

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0

The S&P500 has not increased 550% since 2011. Done far better than Aotearoa houses for sure. But annualised returns are approx 13.5%. Nevertheless, when you consider the tsunami of money created, it's understandable. 

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0

It may be, but look at the concentration in the last few years into the top 5 or so companies which bodes for some serious risk given the rest aren't performing. I still think S&P is overpriced and risk level is high, but I'll revisit this view in 6-12months.

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1

Yes - that's what it is. It's a familiar odorous smell of desperation....

If only there were enough active "optimistic" buyers to counteract the growing inventory pile - if only......

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7

I like how you refer to a soft landing as some sort of historical thing that has already happened when a lot points to more coming pain for the debt holders.

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8

He refers to a "soft landing" as if it's ACTUALLY landed - LOL

With much water still to pass under the bridge, it's typical vested shortsightedness. 

Jobs!

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9

Where are all the mortgagee sales you promised us, Retired-Poppy??? You said they'd be common through 2023/24.

Yet another one of your forecasts that went belly-up ......

Retired-Poppy is not so much short-sighted as blind.

Further, he never learns from his litany of blunders.

TTP

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2

I agree, mortgagee sales are far lower than many here expected (including me). I fully accept that this forecast was wide of the mark. 

Now, can you explain why there are so many sellers yet comparatively few motivated active buyers? 

Why won't you make any forecasts yourself Tim? 

 

 

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4

In saying that, business defaults and liquidations are at a 10-year high here. This might go some way in explaining the dire employment situation. Where equity is deemed to still exist, a stay of execution must be in play for many stressed home owners by way of term lengthening and holidays. Over time this can prove incredibly costly by way of additional interest paid - (dead money). Some will no doubt be wondering if it was all worth it. 

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4

As I've stated/forecasted here many times, Retired-Poppy, the housing market's road to recovery will be, "littered with many potholes - as well as twists and bends".

Explicitly, I've emphasised that, "recovery will not go in a straight line".

That's exactly what's been happening - and will continue to happen through the recovery period. Clearly, my prediction has proven well-founded and valid.

Looking further out to the long-term - i.e. over many cycles - I remain confident that the housing market is well-placed and will continue to prosper in much the same way as it has historically. Capital appreciation, rental yield and the plethora of intangible (non-financial) benefits make it a great place to be. That's unlikely to change.

You spend far too much time hanging around here each day, Retired-Poppy. Go get a life.

TTP

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1

"recovery will not go in a straight line".

Yes, uh-hmmm, very insightful. When did your bumpy, rocky and bent recovery actually commence Tim? 

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2

I see there will be a wave of immigrants moving on soon

That will make a hole in demand.

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15

Is is just the unwinding of the stupidity of cheap covid debt?

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12

The Cheap Covid Debt undoubtedly accelerated what was already a problem, decades in the making. It may have given us a property market Blow Off Top. If so, it's just starting to play out before Volume (selling) speeds up.

"A blow-off top is a chart pattern that shows a steep and rapid increase in price and trading volume, followed by a steep and rapid drop in price—usually on significant or high volume as well. The rapid change indicated by a blow-off top are also called a blow-off move or exhaustion move"

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10

No spruikers in the comment section? 

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12

They all in hiding as the Ponzi Dam wall is about to Buckle/Bust much further in 2025/2026.....no bottoms in sight.

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17

House prices down 2.89% in a year is not really aligning with the DGM narrative either.

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2

Double that fall has happened in the last 8 months so we're looking at about 10% down in real terms by end of year.

🥂

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15

Careful now, or IT GUY will be frothing XD

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0

JJ all the areas I am in all up for the year alot on here only looking in their neighborhood 

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0

@Kraken - I guess by your definition I am a spruiker- what would you like to know?

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0

Rising inventory

Falling rents

Falling prices

Immigration cratering

Luxy boy clearing his portfolio

Spruikers absent

🥂

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15

Add in...

Emigration pumping
Right sizing govt bloat

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7

Last year we had the highest immigration gain in 22 years and this year is 3rd highest.  

 

https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/new-zealand-net-migration-rate-down-from…

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1

First of all last year is last year.

Second, check the net migration this year so far. Its comparably tiny because of the massive outflow of kiwis.

The net 53k is primarily the tail from last year.

https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/international-migration-…

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7

Not in Taupo not in Christchurch not in Waimate all the places I have property 

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3

Well Colin, you are one of the lucky few that still has time.

Good luck.

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11

Time for what? Got three houses with no mortgages what so ever across the board at about middle to late 30s debt to equity. One house I brought 6 yrs ago for 140k earning 28k a year. That's 20 percent. It's not luck it's not listening to the majority of people and backing yourself. If the Markey crashes as you say by 20 percent guess what I will be out there buying up as much as possible it won't hurt me. It will hurt you way more

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2

Hey if you want to give another 20% back from your gains thats all you buddy.

Also don't assume too much about people and their financial state when you don't know.

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7

Only if I sell which I don't need too.

Like wise don't assume every property investor is bleeding on the street cause over the last few yrs every time something was introduced like when tax deductions were taken away. Oh the property investors are  going to flood the market as they abandon their properties didn't happen one example

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0

Well done for commenting, Colin. You always come across as well reasoned and logical. Shame that not too many here read and agree with your comments. You are unlikely to get 10 thumbs up, which is the thumbs up that the likes of toye and Hastings are receiving. 

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4

Colin has made it to the other side of the fence where the grass is greener. The people that have done well during there lives are few and far between so you would hardly expect any thumbs up, especially on here. 

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1

Yes however he builds houses as an investment also, which is part of the solution, and continues to do so which is more admirable than your standard person hoovering up current houses more and more with equity. 

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2

You've been in the property game a long time though Colin and you're a builder so have the skills to build and maintain properties, that helps a lot. 

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6

26@main here's a fact for you. Think what percentage of builders build their own home (one and only)........... 5 percent actually  only build one for themselves out of all the builders in NZ. You know why cause the banks say how are you going go pay the mortgage while you build this house. Now am at this moment just starting on my 18th. At council etc as we speak. But yes I have the skills but I was also prepared to pay a price. Example don't drive the newest flash ute. Don't live in a house just to name a couple

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0

Colin, do you see an uptick in folk moving from the North Island to South in the last 12-24 months? 

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1

Lots of people dying.  As evidenced from the 2024 death numbers, and the 26% increase in the number of Summerset re-sales.  

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0

With absence of mass immigration, demographics will increasingly play its role in lowering demand while holding costs wipe out incentives for investors. When people like the Lux are selling, future prospects are going to be marginal.

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10

Maybe Luxon is simply cash strapped?  After all, he's had to downsize from a $4.2M a year salary to $471k a year.  Thats a massive pay cut.

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0

NACT's austerity is likely contributing to the falling housing market. There's a silver lining I guess. If they hadn't given back interest deductibility to landlords, it would have absolutely cratered the housing market.

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8

"If they hadn't given back interest deductibility to landlords, it would have absolutely cratered the housing market."

Thereby preventing house prices becoming more  affordable for own occupier buyers in the existing housing market?

 

 

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5

No problem not being able to claim back interest costs, rates insurance maintenance etc.

Would suit me greatly, wouldn't need to pay tax on any profit!

If you think that interest paid shouldnt be tax deductible, why should we be able to claim all other costs?

 

 

Up
0

it would have absolutely cratered the housing market.

it would have reset prices to reflect true value and kept a significant proportion of the young kiwi workers who have fled the country here.

Fixed that for you. 

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13

Australia has far more expensive houses than NZ,

If you think that things are better in Oz, then maybe you should go and check it out?

It is actually just as expensive to live there.

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1

It would have sent half the country into negative equity and destroyed the financial system.  Its like people have no recollection of the 2008 GFC.  Learn a bit of history folks

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0

This is basically the only reason we are not sitting at -20% this year.

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11

"However the rate of decline has slowed over the last couple of months, suggesting values may be close to bottoming out if the trend continues."

Or it could just be spring? Which made me do some quick mental arithmetic ... Will the backlog be cleared before next autumn? Um. No. Probably not. 

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2

Can someone explain to me why the median prices are different between corelogic, qv, and reinz?

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0

As I understand it (someone correct if wrong):

QV's is based on property value estimates.

REINZ is based on sale price at point-of-sale (whether it resolves or not).

Core Logic is resolved (and thus delayed).

Add in they each use different filter lengths to achieve statistical significance (eg REINZ has several areas over a 6-month moving average so a significant delay there).

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1

Large variance in the automated property values, I just run with One Roof its closer to my estimated property value based on what it would actually sell for.

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0