Please find below the following comment from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) in relation to the potential impacts COVID-19 may have on the housing market. All comments are attributable to Bindi Norwell, Chief Executive at REINZ

Thousands of New Zealanders are working in, visiting, or walking past buildings every day that they don’t know are severely earthquake-prone, says an expert in earthquake preparedness.

Kiwis are picking up on good vibrations in the housing market, with housing confidence continuing to improve according to the latest ASB Housing Confidence Survey.

The substantially-upgraded historic Five Stags family restaurant and bar at Pirongia is being marketed for sale at auction on Thursday December 12 through Bayleys Hamilton. 

Its rugby team may not have nabbed the Ranfurly Shield off Otago last month, but the Mighty Manawatu has had another strong year with real estate.

National property values have continued to fall with a decline in the rate of annual growth from 3.8% in June 2018 to 1.7% in June 2019, although values are still in positive territory, according to the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) latest House Price Index.

An eight-hectare property in North Auckland is for sale, and it comes with something extra special. The lucky new property owner will get a volcanic orange MP4-12C McLaren sportscar for free!

A total of 33,576 new homes were consented in the year ended January 2019, the highest number of new homes consented in a year since early 1975, Stats NZ said today.

Evidence-based rental property standards would require ceiling insulation to the 1978 standard, no sub-floor insulation, and nothing more, Tenancies War spokesman Mike Butler said today.

KiwiBuild has today issued updated figures for the number of KiwiBuild homes under contract, construction, committed to be built, completed or sold. Number of homes contracted and committed: 10,160 with thousands more planned in our Large Scale Projects.

One year ago (December 2017) the national average asking price for a home was $660,798 on realestate.co.nz, the country’s largest property listing site. One year later (December 2018) it sits at $673,043.

The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand released their monthly residential property data today, showing Hamilton’s median house price dipped 2.3% between October and November and now sits at $555,000.

The first KiwiBuild homes for central Wellington are on the way following an agreement with The Wellington Company to build a new apartment building in Mount Cook, Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford has announced.

The first 18 KiwiBuild families have been welcomed to their new homes by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford and the local community.

Potential KiwiBuild buyers will be rightly concerned that the Government is being unclear whether developments will be mixed KiwiBuild and State Housing National’s spokesperson for Housing Judith Collins says.

A single viewshaft in Auckland protecting views of Mt Eden for motorists crossing the Harbour Bridge costs the city more than one billion dollars, according to ground breaking research released today.

If you’re writing on tonight’s result from The Block please consider the following comment from Bindi Norwell, Chief Executive at REINZ:

Today’s CoreLogic Market Pulse report shows that rents haven’t been outpacing property costs or people’s wages. The rental system is not broken as some have been vocally saying.

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson’s idea for an enforceable warrant of fitness for rental homes means she would rather see people live on the streets than with a roof over their heads, National’s Housing spokesperson Judith Collins says.

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling for a comprehensive Rental Warrant of Fitness (WOF) scheme to ensure that everyone in New Zealand lives in a warm, dry, healthy home.

Minister of Housing and Urban Development Phil Twyford today announced the completion of the first KiwiBuild homes at the McLennan development in Papakura, Auckland; and says there are more on the way.

The Canterbury/West Coast branch of the Public Health Association of New Zealand supports regulation of the property management industry.

If you’re writing on the announcement from the Housing Minister, the Hon. Phil Twyford in relation to the reform of the Residential Tenancies Act, please consider the following comment from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ).

A vertically-integrated blueberry orchard featuring an associated pack-house plant and retail foodservice business have been placed on the market for sale.

Housing affordability is improving for first home buyers in most parts of the country but the improvements are so small most aspiring first home buyers probably wouldn't notice the difference, according to interest.co.nz's latest Home Loan Affordability Reports.

The Real Estate Institute of NZ released its monthly residential property statistics this morning showing Hamilton’s median house price has dipped from a 2018 high of $560,000 in June to $525,000 in July.

The Massey University Residential Market Report, which tracks mean rents and rental bond numbers, shows a steady increase in the number of people renting, coupled with a decrease in vacancy rates, over the past decade.

The seasonally adjusted number of new homes consented fell 7.6 percent in June 2018, Stats NZ said today. This followed a 6.9 percent rise in May.

Housing is becoming more affordable in Auckland with large parts of the region now considered affordable for typical first home buyers, according to interest.co.nz's latest Home Loan Affordability Reports.

Kapiti Coast real estate continues to well outperform both the Wellington and Auckland regions as well as New Zealand overall, according to the latest Quotable Value figures.