Wednesday 17 August 2016

Manager's Comments 16-8-16

July sales figures in New Plymouth City show a very flat market. The median price slipped a meagre $4000 to $369,500 indicating very little change in the values of the 86 properties sold. We have extremely low interest rates and prices on the higher side of last year, both expected scenarios. However, there is a perception the massive Auckland market is running out of steam, which may be making some buyers nervous. This quote from the ASB Bank housing confidence report today “Fewer people think now is a good time to buy according to the latest ASB Housing Confidence Survey. The sharp drop in sentiment is not much of a surprise when expectations for higher house prices, as well as higher interest rates, picked up over the quarter. Sentiment has fallen across the country as respondents appear to be wary about possible increases in debt servicing costs when house prices are already considered high”.
The New Plymouth market has been very subdued in terms of price rises over a period where Auckland values have spiralled to unprecedented levels. (The median price in greater Auckland is $825,000. In the city over a million dollars). If there is a correction in Auckland it won’t impact severely in New Plymouth, but it will make buyers very nervous and has the potential to slow our local market significantly for a period. Give this some thought and consider the consequences when you receive an offer. A bird in the hand may be worth looking very hard at.

John Christiansen

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