While house prices continue to fall the rate of decline halved between October and November.

The country’s biggest trading bank is now forecasting a bumpy landing for housing with a 22% peak-to-trough drop in prices, but values remaining 14% above their pre-pandemic level.

Landlords taking rent in cash and not declaring it as income is becoming a growing problem.

With another 0.75% increase in the OCR seemingly on the cards for February next year after yesterday’s not unexpected 0.75% rise, it is likely fixed mortgage rates will push towards 7% or higher in the next few months, says CoreLogic.

While the Government has just introduced sweeping changes to regulate landlords and meth contaminated houses, former New Zealand Property Investors president Andrew King says in his final letter to members he is disappointed that he wasn’t able to prevent so many poorly researched and designed law changes becoming law.

The Property Investors Federation (NZPIF) has gained some political traction on its proposals to fix the rental crisis.

Investors are still doing well when they sell their properties.

A mediator has been appointed to Christchurch City Council over its refusal to implement housing density rules.

Real house prices will fall 30% back to pre-pandemic levels, erasing any recent gains, say Westpac economists.

The housing market slowdown continues with sales down 4.3% on September and a massive 34.7% down compared to October last year.

Almost a third (30%) of surveyed residential property investors and owners are not confident their property is adequately insured.

Average house prices across the country have fallen nearly $113,000 since the beginning of the year, while in Auckland and Wellington it is almost $200,000.

While property prices keep slumping, the question is being asked whether the Government should boost the number of foreigners allowed to buy property in New Zealand.

Mortgaged property investors have plunged into the new build market — with the highest number of purchases since 2004.

Auckland’s biggest real estate agency, Barfoot & Thompson, saw last month’s sales slump to the worst for 12 years in an October month.

While the Reserve Bank is forecasting housing market doom and negative equity for some recent buyers, it is far from that with prudent decisions taken by banks a year ago.