Just as Kiwis were getting used to the idea the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) might end its program of interest rate cuts, Westpac NZ shocked everyone by raising rates 0.3% on fixed term loans. The move prompted Finance Minister Nicola Willis to suggest owners and first-home buyers should “shop around”. After Westpac announced…
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As we enter 2026, New Zealanders can reflect on a property market that resisted a recovery despite nine interest rate cuts but saw values remain steady. As the latest OneRoof home survey points out, there were winners and losers in 2025, and we should not feel downcast about the immediate future. The latest cut of…
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Amid the concerted program of interest rate cuts over the past 18 months – the official cash rate is down to 2.25% from a 5% post-Covid high – our real estate market is experiencing an erratic recovery that will eventually see values rebound consistently. The latest data shows the number of home resales increased by…
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It’s crystal ball season, and the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has updated its forecasts for 2026 – and it’s feeling bullish! National home sales are forecast to rebound by 7.7% to 509,479. If correct, that prediction would deliver the highest level for activity since 2021. “Historically, national home sales have only ever cracked the…
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With Canada’s policy interest rate now less than half of its peak of 18 months ago, Canadians continue to cautiously return to the real estate market. While delighted that the Bank of Canada has reduced its benchmark overnight rate to 2.25% from a peak of 5% in May 2024, Canadians remain concerned about the economic…
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This is the time of year when many executives and professionals get confirmation that they’re being promoted and transferred to another part of the country. It’s an exciting time – new opportunities beckon both professionally and personally. This new chapter will usually include selling your existing property and buying a new home. Often, the clock…
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The sale of existing homes continues its rising trend, giving American owners confidence they can plan to either upsize or downsize this winter or with an early spring strategy. The National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) latest survey found sales of existing homes in October was 1.2% higher than in the previous month of September. This…
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One of the most influential predictions for real estate in 2026 has come from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), which has forecast a spectacular 14% jump in existing home sales next year, combined with price rises totalling 4%. One early signal supporting the NAR forecast is the fact that current applications for mortgages are…
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If there’s anyone with their finger on the pulse of America’s real estate market, it is your humble Realtor. We’re out and about every day, trying to find homes for our clients and negotiating with sellers. If there’s a whiff of economic concern in the wind, we’re among the first to notice. Nothing makes folks…
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Lower interest rates have sparked record-breaking levels of participation by first-time buyers, who are now responsible for 27% of all residential property deals, according to a new report by Cotality and Westpac NZ. The dramatic 0.5% reduction in the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in October has tempted many…
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