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Residential auction activity at its lowest level since August 2023

Property / news
Residential auction activity at its lowest level since August 2023
House in snow
Photo: Darkocv- Wikimedia Commons

Residential auction activity sank to a three year low at the beginning of August.

Interest.co.nz monitored the auctions of 197 residential properties over the week of 1-7 August.

That was down from 246 the previous week (-20%), and was also the lowest number of auctions recorded by interest.co.nz since August 2023, apart from the Christmas/New Year holiday periods when the market goes into hibernation.

The number of properties being auctioned has now declined by almost two thirds since the summer peak in late March.

Of the 197 properties on offer at the latest auctions, 89 sold under the hammer, giving an overall sales rate of 45%.

There is no shortage of reasons from the winter slump, with morning frosts, icy roads and a good dumping of snow in many places over the last week.

On top of that buyers are facing rising mortgage interest rates and general economic uncertainty ahead of the General Election in November.

While fewer properties are being brought to auction, there are still plenty of properties available for sale, so buyers  are being cautious on price and are taking their time making decisions, while vendors have to bite the bullet if they want to achieve a sale.

Details of the individual properties offered at all of the auctions monitored by interest.co.nz. including the selling prices of those that sold, are available on our Residential Auction Results page.

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3 Comments

TOP polling at 6%. Holding onto 2021 expectations seems silly. Ah well... they be paying tax soon...

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I have eyes on the NZ market, and also that in the UK, where in top end London people are selling at prices 25% below those in 2014.  Quite amazing.

Property agents have masses of stories to chew over, although in short, as noted by one agent - in all cases of the homes we are helping clients to buy, we are paying less than the property sold for ten years ago.  This is not just a London issue, with agents noting that anyone wishing to sell should be willing to accept offers, some steep - 15-20%.

But many cannot accept that their property is worth less than they think it is worth, so the house just sits there for sale.  At the other end are those who are wary that prices will fall further, and so think it best to take a hit and put the money tied up in property to better use.  I imagine the latter relates to those higher up the wealth scale (as in - so I take a $250k hit, but I still sell for $750k, and I have some good investments in mind).  That contrasts, I imagine, with those down the wealth scale (as in, this is our main source of wealth, we have to sell the bach for $550k!).

The upshot from the above, certainly in the UK, falling prices are now accepted, especially while base rates/OCR stay close to 4%, and the economy sluggish.  Many now view this as the property worm turning, with perhaps, prices moving back in line with incomes...over the long run that is.

 

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