Foreign buyers should be restricted from buying existing houses in New Zealand, says BNZ chief economist Tony Alexander.

New Zealand’s housing supply problem appears to be improving, albeit slowly.

Auckland house prices did not shoot up in February because there were many more new listings on the market compared to the month before, Barfoot and Thompson says.

Macroprudential tools are a step closer, with the Reserve Bank this week releasing its consultation paper on the tactics it may soon use to tackle credit growth bubbles.

Listings are still not keeping up with demand in most regions of New Zealand, according to Realestate.co.nz’s report for February.

Gisborne is the only region in New Zealand that experienced a house price drop in the year ended December, according to ASB’s latest Main Report regional economic scoreboard.

Property consultant David Whitburn has welcomed Government proposals to revamp the Resource Management Act.

Imposing restrictions on loan-to-value ratios on home loans would have the opposite effect of what is intended, says BNZ’s chief economist.

New Zealand home-building consents fell in January because a drop in the number of apartment approvals offset gains in other types of dwellings.

New Zealand is still at significant risk of a sharp correction in property prices, according to Standard and Poors.

The government is looking at formalising Reserve Bank proposals to rein in credit growth, including restrictions on loan-to-value ratios, Finance Minister Bill English said today.

Rental property is still the asset seen as most likely to provide the best returns, according to ASB’s latest investor confidence survey.

ASB’s latest housing confidence survey shows fewer people think now is a good time to buy – but investors won’t among them, according to Auckland Property Investors Association president David Whitburn.

Rental yields have dropped in all regions over the past two decades but some have experienced steeper falls than others, according to ANZ.

It’s tempting to think there’s a bit of Nimbyism at play whenever there’s outrage at the idea of intensification of Auckland city.

Wealthier overseas buyers would benefit from the introduction of loan-to-value restrictions on property, says the president of the Auckland Property Investors Association.