Mortgagee sales increase in Auckland and Northland

Terralink says there were 246 registered mortgagee sales in April, which is comparable to 250 for the same month a year ago. There is also a slight increase in mortgagee sales from the previous month, when 202 were recorded.

In April, Auckland City and Northland recorded the largest leaps in mortgagee sales. In Auckland there were 95 mortgagee sales, up from 58 the month before, and Northland climbed from 16 to 25. Most other regions remained steady compared to the previous month.

Terralink managing director Mike Donald says despite talk of an economic recovery, the number of forced property sales remain at levels previously unseen.

"We've been tracking mortgagee sales since 1994 and last year the numbers rose dramatically. A year on, and the 2010 data is looking eerily similar to the 2009 trends."