Borrowers - don't panic (10 Jun 2010)
Borrowers shouldn't panic about the Official Cash Rate (OCR) increase to 2.75% today says ANZ chief economist Cameron Bagrie.
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QV main urban areas commentary: May 2010 (10 Jun 2010)
Values throughout the main urban areas have flattened or declined over the three months to May, according to QV's latest statistics. Find out what's happening in the story below.
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Market set to potter along: QV (10 Jun 2010)
The residential property market is a mixed bag in terms of activity but looks set to "potter along" for the next while, according to QV.
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Residential building and consents increase (08 Jun 2010)
An increasing volume of residential building in the March quarter has offset a continuing fall in commercial construction, to post an overall lift in all building work of 0.7% across its three month measurement period.
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Huge residential property investment portfolio up for sale (06 Jun 2010)
The biggest single receivership sale of residential investment property ever seen in New Zealand is placing seven large-scale multi-tenanted units on the market for sale – encompassing some 153 rental units.
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GST to impact substantial investors (04 Jun 2010)
An increase in GST will have a significant impact on property investors with substantial portfolios.
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Auckland house sales gain in May (03 Jun 2010)
Auckland house sales and prices rose last month after a soft April, though the property market still faces headwinds with interest rates likely to rise and more people looking to head across the Tasman.
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Property prices under pressure (02 Jun 2010)
Property prices are still under pressure as households keep debt repayments as a top priority for the year ahead, according to the ANZ New Zealand property gauges.
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Buying a former 'P' house can prove costly (01 Jun 2010)
Just like a leaky home, a house that has been used to manufacture methamphetamine (P) can cost tens of thousands of dollars to clean or repair before it is safe to be inhabited again.
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Sellers forced to get realistic (01 Jun 2010)
Sellers are being forced back down to earth in terms of price expectations if they want to shift properties, amidst sagging sales.
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Number of mortgagee sales rises (31 May 2010)
Kiwi Mums and Dads are losing their homes in record numbers to mortgagee sales as the effects of the recession continue to bite residential homeowners.
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LAQC proposals questionable: NZICA (31 May 2010)
As part of the Budget process, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has proposed limiting the use of LAQCs to reduce the overall tax paid by property investors and others.
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Home building consents rise to two-year high (28 May 2010)
New Zealand's home-building approvals rose to a two-year high in April, suggesting the property market is heading for a gradual recovery, buffeted by higher interest rates.
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Leaky homes not eligible for depreciation deductions under new rules (27 May 2010)
The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) says leaky buildings will generally not be eligible for depreciation deductions in line with rules for other buildings with a useful life of 50-plus years.
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Half of landlords will put up rents (24 May 2010)
The first nationwide survey on the Budget of 2,097 people, commissioned by the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development, found that denying depreciation on rental properties and commercial buildings is supported by 46% and opposed by about a fifth of people.
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LAQC’s will be a “dead man walking” (21 May 2010)
Property investors will not want to use LAQC’s going forward and they will use other structures instead according to Deloitte tax partner Mike Shaw, who is a member of the Tax Working Group.
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Govt's tax changes means tenants will pay more rent (21 May 2010)
The Government’s decision to deny property owners depreciation claims means that tenants will end up paying more for their rent.
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Residential property investors to get another bite at fit-out cherry (21 May 2010)
Residential property investors will get another chance to claim depreciation on fit-out and maintenance costs with Inland Revenue reviewing these costs after the government followed through with its threat to remove property owners’ ability to claw back depreciation on buildings.
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BUDGET RELEASE: Property tax changes increase fairness (20 May 2010)
Changes to the tax treatment of investment property increase fairness and help rebalance the economy towards productive investment, Finance Minister Bill English and Revenue Minister Peter Dunne say.
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Depreciation: Here today, gone tomorrow (20 May 2010)
Property investors will face greater scrutiny from the tax department after the government confirmed it will wipe depreciation write-offs for buildings.
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Government closes loopholes for LAQCs (20 May 2010)
The Government is closing the loophole on loss attributing qualifying companies (LAQCs), a favoured property investment vehicle, by aligning the tax rates between the structures' deductions and profits.
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Property industry to pay for Budget (20 May 2010)
Bold changes set out in the Budget will primarily be funded through an effective tax increase for New Zealand property owners.
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Rental property value 'overinflated' (19 May 2010)
As the Budget looms, landlords and a university researcher claim that a key figure which has been used in the argument about rental investment is wrong.
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Investor confidence in property slips (19 May 2010)
Investors are showing less enthusiasm for rental property but attitudes to other classes of investment are rebounding, a quarterly ASB survey shows.
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Budget 2010: What's instore for landlords and tenants? (18 May 2010)
Thursday is budget day when the Government will announce what it's got in store to get the economy back on track.
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NZ investors' love affair with rental properties appears to be fading (18 May 2010)
New Zealand investor confidence in rental property has cooled in the past three months, and the popularity of other investment classes is gaining momentum, according to the latest ASB Investor Confidence Report.
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Budget preview: Property in line of fire (18 May 2010)
Changes to the structure of the tax system are the most highly anticipated part of the Budget to be delivered on Thursday as the government looks to reduce distortions which have been affecting work and investment decisions.
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Otago investors reluctant to use new rating scheme (17 May 2010)
Otago property investors are hesitant to participate in a voluntary scheme to star rank properties. The Student Tenancy Accommodation Rating Scheme (STARS) is a collaboration between the Dunedin City Council, the University of Otago and the Otago Polytechnic.
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One step closer to leaky home resolution? (17 May 2010)
The government has taken a "giant step in the right direction" when it announced today it would increase the amount it is prepared to contribute towards repair costs for leaky home owners.
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Landlords warned after drug haul (17 May 2010)
Police are warning Hamilton property owners to keep an eye on what their sites are being used for.
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Greedy landlords on notice (16 May 2010)
Landlords are being warned against kicking out tenants to make a quick buck from the Rugby World Cup.
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REINZ residential highlights - April 2010 (14 May 2010)
Find out what's happening in your area.
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Home sales decline in April: REINZ (14 May 2010)
Residential real estate sales fell 15% in April as the housing market remains subdued with the government's upcoming budget expected to bring in tax changes for property investors, according to the latest Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) data.
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Landlords wait warily for Budget (13 May 2010)
Lee Whiley is anxiously awaiting the Budget to learn what impact changes to property tax will have on him.
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Student accommodation drives Dunedin market (13 May 2010)
Student accommodation in Dunedin continues to underpin residential property values in the city, according to new research.
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Banks repay $0.8m in overcharged break fees (12 May 2010)
Two banks have had a rap on the knuckles and repaid $0.8 million in overcharged break fees on fixed-term loans following complaints after the sharp drop in interest rates in late 2008 and early 2009.
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Labour pushes for changes to rules around residential tenants (12 May 2010)
Labour says the government has watered down a bill which regulates residential tenancies and is wanting some changes before it is passed by Parliament.
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Mortgage break fees 'reasonable' (12 May 2010)
Home owners hoping for compensation from their bank after being stung with high mortgage break fees may be out of luck after an investigation by the competition watchdog found most banks were charging reasonable fees.
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Property round-up (10 May 2010)
Market confidence and the predicted direction for prices are proving an issue to buyers, HNZ completes the rollout of a new scheme that will benefit landlords and Finance Minister Bill English invites comment about tax changes that will affect property investors.
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QV main urban areas commentary: April 2010 (10 May 2010)
Average sales prices declined in April, although are still substantially above last year's prices, according to Quotable Value's (QV) latest statistics. Find out exactly what's happening in the six main regions in the story below.
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Property investors procrastinate ahead of Budget: QV (10 May 2010)
New Zealand property investors are procrastinating ahead of this month's budget as they wait for more clarity on what will happen to the tax treatment on housing.
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Optimism and house prices on the wane (07 May 2010)
Optimism in the housing market is waning and the direction for house prices is downward, according to ASB's latest Housing Confidence Survey.
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Procrastinate while one has the chance (06 May 2010)
If monetary policy tightening starts in June as BNZ still expects, then for those planning to have a mortgage exposure for three years there is a forecast benefit near 0.5% for fixing three years rather than floating, says BNZ economist Tony Alexander.
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Auckland house sales dip (05 May 2010)
Auckland house sales fell last month, coming off a stronger track in March, suggesting property investors are becoming tentative ahead of the 2010 budget, which will curb tax breaks.
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Conditions ripe for rent rises (04 May 2010)
Conditions look set for rents to rise over the coming year, despite overall downward pressure on house prices, according to ANZ’s Property Gauges.
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The Crombie Lockwood focus (03 May 2010)
This focus is to protect the one thing that matters most to you - your property and it all provides to you, your family and your future. They specialise in insurance advice.
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Investors not out of the woods yet (03 May 2010)
New Zealand mortgagee sales held near their 2009 highs and may rise, showing the property market's sluggish recovery, according to Terralink.
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Building consents fall in March (30 Apr 2010)
New Zealand residential building consents fell for the third month in four in March, underlining the tepid pace of recovery in a housing market that is facing tighter tax rules and less activity from developers.
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Market continues trucking down (29 Apr 2010)
The property market continues to deteriorate, according to the Mike Pero Mortgages/Infometrics Property Cycle Indicator (PCI).
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Agent found guilty over misleading commission costs (28 Apr 2010)
An Auckland real estate agent has been censured under the Real Estate Agents Act after he mislead a client over his commission fee.
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