Surge in spring listings, as average asking prices plateau

The traditional surge in new properties coming onto the market in spring is well evident this year. Coupled with this, average asking prices nationally have eased from record highs in recent months, according to data from realestate.co.nz, New Zealand’s largest website dedicated only to property.

“The number of new listings coming onto the market in October is up significantly on last month, as we have come to expect in spring,” says Brendon Skipper, CEO of realestate.co.nz.

A total of 13,405 new properties were listed in October, 12% more than there were in September.

“It may well be that the supply of properties plays its part in the slight easing in asking prices we’re seeing,” says Skipper.

Prices plateau after record highs

After many months in which new record high average asking prices were recorded both in national terms and across many regions, these prices have levelled off in October. Nationally, the average asking price of $539,823 in October continues the downward trend from the record high of $568,215 in August. The average asking price went down in eight regions, including all the main urban centres. Price increases were recorded in seven other regions, while it remained static in four.

In all main urban centres, average asking prices dropped slightly from recent record highs. In Auckland, the average asking price dropped back to $832,713, after the record high of $851,531 in September. In Canterbury, the average price dropped to $467,403 after their record high of $476,818, also recorded in September. In Wellington, the average asking price dropped to $457,028 from $479,399 in August, while in Waikato the average asking price in October was $397,991, down from $403,640 in August.

Only two regions bucked the trend, reaching new record high levels in October. In Otago, a new record high average asking price of $321,188 was recorded , up from the previous high of $308,915 achieved in June 2015. In Northland, the new record high average asking price is $474,756, which is only marginally higher than the previous high of $474,738 achieved in June 2014.

Sellers’ market

“Our data shows that we still have a strong sellers’ market throughout the country,” says Skipper. “The inventory of properties for sale is lower than ever and it is a nationwide phenomenon, with the West Coast the only exception.”

Inventory is a measure of supply and demand that indicates how long it would take, in theory, for all the current properties on the market to be sold at the average rate of sales. The national average inventory in October was only 16.1 weeks, even lower than the record low of 16.3 weeks reached in September.

In three regions neighbouring Auckland, inventory is well down, in each case less than a third of that region’s long-term average: Waikato (12 weeks vs. 41 average), Bay of Plenty (12 weeks vs. 49 average) and the Coromandel (43 weeks vs. 171 average).

Another region with a wide discrepancy is Central Otago, which in October had 25 weeks of inventory compared to the long-term average of 83 weeks.

“The market pressure in Waikato, the Bay of Plenty and the Coromandel can probably be attributed to Aucklanders looking further afield for property,” says Skipper. “We have seen this generating a ripple effect in those regions, where residents of popular larger centres are looking to outlying areas.”