If your Christmas meal plans are lacking inspiration, or the thought of stuffing yet another turkey isn’t doing it for you, perhaps consider using native ingredients this year to spice up your Yuletide feast. There are many readily-available indigenous herbs and spices that will make your Christmas meal a talking point with family and friends,…
Read more
At the end of a challenging year, many homeowners will be looking forward to kicking back and enjoying this Christmas and the summer holidays. One of the great ways to celebrate the festive season is to hang lights in your front yard, brightening the summer evenings not just for yourself but neighbours and passers-by, too.…
Read more
Decorating our homes for the festive season is a highlight of the year for many of us, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for family and friends. But finding the right Christmas tree and most suitable decorations can be challenging if you’re in a small apartment or house. It’s a little deflating to buy the…
Read more
As we approach the end of 2022, many potential home buyers will be wondering how the market will play out over the next 12 months. Nationally, it’s slipped 2.7% over the past year, at an average of $28,000 for each property. But the performance is pretty erratic. Cities such as Auckland (-5.5%) have taken a…
Read more
New Zealand homeowners continue to reap the rewards of investing in real estate, with new figures suggesting almost 95% of sales made in the September quarter were achieved at a profit. The results gathered by researcher CoreLogic are slightly down compared to the previous quarter when 98.1% of residential properties were sold at a profit. …
Read more
If you’re fearful of being left in the cold by selling your home this winter, rest assured you are not alone! Did you know that more than a million homes are bought and sold across America at this time of year? Here are some advantages to a winter sale: Fewer sellers Many owners forget they…
Read more
New Zealand’s financial system is well placed to handle the challenging economic environment, according to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. In its most recent Financial Stability Report, released earlier this month, the Reserve Bank noted that conditions were becoming more challenging, with interest rates rising and the economy likely to slow. “Despite these challenges,…
Read more
New Zealand’s banks have promised to be sympathetic and supportive to borrowers who may face financial stress due to rising interest rates. In its most recent Financial Stability Report, released earlier this month, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand said that while the financial system was in good shape (see previous story), rising interest rates…
Read more
Despite the national average asking price hovering around $920,000 in October, buyers can enter the market at a much lower price, according to realestate.co.nz. The most common price range search on realestate.co.nz is between $600,000 and $800,000, which indicates many people’s budget. In October, six regions across New Zealand had average asking prices sitting under…
Read more
With property prices falling in much of New Zealand, conditions have arguably turned in favour of first home buyers. That might be why CoreLogic analysis has found that first home buyer market share has been increasing. First home buyers made 23% of purchases over the first half of the year and 24% in the third…
Read more
