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Auckland’s largest real estate agency group, Barfoot and Thompson, has reported sales volumes in February of 626, up 7.4 percent from January and up 12 percent from February a year ago. These are the first house sales figures reported for February and suggest a pickup in volume from a very weak January. (Update 1 includes chart).

Barfoot and Thompson’s average house price in February was NZ$521,323, up 3.2% from January and close to the average for 2009. Barfoot and Thompson Managing Director Peter Thompson said listing volumes surged to 1,714 in February, the highest in almost 2 years.

“Given the balanced state of the market sellers need to ensure their price right if they are to sell,” Thompson said.

See the release below:
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Auckland’s largest real estate agency, Barfoot and Thompson, said its average sale price in January was NZ$505,301, down 8.6% from December, but up 0.5% from January 2009. Sales traditionally fell away over the holiday period to 583. This was down from 648 in December, but up 13.2% from a year ago, Barfoots said. (Update 1 includes full release.)

Here is the full release from Barfoot and Thompson:

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Auckland’s largest real estate firm, Barfoot & Thompson, said activity in December was “exceptional” as its average sale price continued to rise, hitting a 24 month high of NZ$552,933 (up 0.5% from November). Sales saw their usual fall from November, from 862 to 648 in December, but were higher than December sales in 2008 and 2007, Managing Director Peter Thompson said.

Barfoots had 965 new listings during December, the highest December month in two years, although at the start of January it “only” had 5,431 properties on its books, the lowest for a January in two years, Thompson said. (Update 1 includes chart.)

Thompson said he expected to see the traditional pattern of prices falling away a little in January, but that they would then firm for the remainder of the warmer months.
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Confidence has returned to Auckland’s housing market according to Auckland’s largest real estate group, Barfoot and Thompson. Barfoot’s average house sale price in October was NZ$544,745, a 22 month high and up 5.8% from September. However, sales fell 5% over the month to 871 in October from 917 in September.

Barfoot and Thompson Managing Director Peter Thompson said the real estate group listed 1,676 properties over the month, which was the highest level of new listings since March 2008.

“The prices achieved in October were exceptional, and we have not seen average prices comparable to this since December 2007,” Thompson said.

“Sellers returned to the market in strength, and we listed 1676 new properties in October, the highest number in a month since March 2008,” he said.

“At the same time buyers’ responded to attractive interest rates and greater choice, and we sold 871 properties, an increase of 73 percent on the number sold in the same month last year.”

“It is a sure sign Aucklanders have shrugged off their concerns about the future, and are moving forward with their plans around home ownership.”

Here is the full release from Barfoot and Thompson:

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Auckland’s largest real estate agency group, Barfoot and Thompson, has reported its average sale price fell 3.2% in September from August to NZ$514,890 after listings rose by 12% to 1,466.

Meanwhile sales volumes were 917 in September, which was the second highest for Barfoot and Thompson in 2009, reflecting a ‘Spring bounce’, Barfoots said. The average price was however up 3.8% on September a year ago.

“This was the third consecutive month our average price for the month exceeded that for the corresponding average in 2008, and I take that as a good indicator that house prices on a year on year basis have stopped falling, said Peter Thompson, Managing Director of Barfoot & Thompson.

“At the same time, prices are not overheating. There was a better balance and controlled feel to the market in September than has been the case for some time,” Thompson said.

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A mood of quiet confidence that now is the time to act has taken hold in the Auckland property market, Auckland’s largest real estate group Barfoot and Thompson said. (Corrected after Barfoot & Thompson corrected August average price figure in press release.)

Managing Director Peter Thompson said Barfoots sold 830 properties in August, which was up 6.5% from July and up 65.3% from August 2008. Barfoot’s average sale price in August was up 5% from July to NZ$530,023 NZ$532,023, although this was more a “timing adjustment than related to values,” Thompson said. The average sale price in August was up 1.5% from last year.

“The average price in August is below that achieved in May, and 2 percent ahead of June, which suggests July’s average was on the light side,” he said.

“Keen interest has returned to the Auckland market,” he said. “Buyers feel prices are attractive, they can afford the repayments, and are comfortable about their future job prospects.”

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