Market Comment Archive

STUPID TIMES AHEAD Get Ready Expat New Zealanders will laugh with a wry smile at the latest NZ- style masochism displayed last week by BNZ Chief Economist Tony Alexander. Despite the taxpayer-bailed-out bank's desperate promotion of residential lending (100% mortgages) its foot-in-mouth Alexander is exhorting prospective Tenants- Turn- Owners to hold off buying as they will get a bargain... > Read more

TOLD YOU SO Our predictions of a differentiation between quality and the poorer suites has proved alarmingly accurate (unless the sales staff are manipulating the market to make me feel good). Very recent examples of upturns in value have occurred in our newly completed "STATESMAN"... > Read more

THE YEAR AHEAD DIFFERENTIATION - Cute word or warning The Year Ahead Belated New Year's greetings to our worldwide clients. We're all back at work and the mood is rather frantic. Yes I'm having to take a couple of long weekends back at Pauanui Beach to catch my breath. The positivity out... > Read more

The Big Change Over We are asking all clients and potential clients to keep in close contact as we enter the summer "changeover" of tenancies ie the students are leaving and the "out-of-towners" are arriving. We have eight staff solely dedicated to keeping those... > Read more

SUBURBAN HOUSING VS CITY APARTMENTS While we are strong advocates for Auckland 's residential housing market for investment as well as our Apartment Market, the Apartment Market is starting to look decidedly cheap. We looked at, last weekend, the cheapest residential areas in Auckland -... > Read more

STRONG INTEREST ACROSS THE SPECTRUM The continued robustness of the apartment market was evident at last Thursday auctions where strong bidding was made for three "cheapies". Firstly a cute but tiny loft in The Met (Durham Lane, off High Street) - vacant, but worth $250 per week,... > Read more

NEW COST OF CONSTRUCTION "Steels" APARTMENTS. A worrying trend emerged when I spoke at the PROPERTY COUNCIL OF NEW ZEALAND apartment update at the Auckland Club on 28 July this week. As the guest speaker (around 130 Auckland heavyweights meaning banks, valuers , quantity surveyors,... > Read more

CITY FORECASTS BRIGHTER Economists can be blamed for the doom and gloom that's been predicted for the New Zealand property market. They have bagged the residential market for the last three months, predicting a crash. We believe they are wrong. Let's face it, they have been spectacularly wrong... > Read more

HELP WANTED Is there anyone out there who is. Engaging Well dressed Unfashionably ethical Truly balanced Available 24 hours X 7 Envious of Realtor incomes..???? Email a CV and I'll send you a solution After that little ad (yes I have a spare desk - yes you have to... > Read more

BRITOMART For a decade while working furiously out of Barfoot & Thompson's Head Office in Fort Street, Downtown I watched with dismay the vacant and deteriorating lovely line of old buildings along Customs Street. I was pioneering the start of the City Apartment phenomenon and would daily... > Read more

MARKET STRENGHTENS Despite the New Zealand Herald's opinion that Auckland's property market is due for a correction or slowdown we are pleased to report a further strengthening of the Apartment... > Read more

UNAFFORDABLE The CBD (Central Business District) Apartment market has offered a frustrating opportunity to "first home buyers" in the past but there are rapid changes afoot that may mark... > Read more