INDEPENDENT NEWS

House prices $300,000 above what NZers think affordable

Published: Fri 13 Jul 2018 02:05 PM
House prices $300,000 above what New Zealanders think is affordable
On average New Zealanders think an affordable home price would be $375,200.
This is $300,480 below Quotable Value’s national average house price, for the three months ending June 30, 2018.
A Horizon Research nationwide survey finds Aucklanders think the maximum realistic price for a home to be “affordable” is $468,400. The average Auckland house sold for $1,053,575 in June, 2018, according to QV.
What people in other areas think is affordable is also well out of line with the current market.
Hamilton residents, on average, think the maximum price to be affordable is $382,600. In June 2018 QV reported an average price there of $556,426.
Wellington: $425,800 thought to be affordable, $758,020 is the average June sale price.
Christchurch: $308,100 affordable, $494,707 average actual in June.
Tauranga: $381,600 affordable, $700,305 average actual in June.
Dunedin: $323,100 affordable, $409,898 actual in June.
Horizon surveyed 1,343 adults nationwide in April 2018.
The maximum average prices for homes to be affordable varied by age: 18 to 24-year-olds thought the maximum should be $329, 900. Those 75+ had the highest average: $455,200.
Maximum affordable prices by age group and main and some provincial centres (for which respondent numbers allow reporting) are:
For a dwelling to be "affordable" for New Zealanders, what is the maximum you realistically think it should be?Average price All respondents$375,200 18-24 years$329,90025-34 years$345,90035-44 years$346,80045-54 years$392,60055-64 years$406,10065-74 years$408,90075 years or over$455,200 Whangarei District$277,700Auckland Council$468,400Hamilton City$382,600Tauranga City$381,600Rotorua District$227,600Taupo District$332,900Gisborne District$252,200Napier City$399,700Hastings District$420,600New Plymouth District$341,900Wanganui District$316,000Palmerston North City$357,200Kapiti Coast District$368,200Porirua City$288,100Wellington City$425,800Hutt City$426,900Upper Hutt City$413,900Nelson City$254,600Christchurch City$308,100Dunedin City$323,100Invercargill City$315,300
In some main centres large numbers think realistic maximum prices should be below the average found in this survey.
The survey, conducted in the public interest by Horizon, set out to measure what New Zealanders think is “affordable”, given current prices and the Government’s indication that “affordable” homes will be priced at about $650,000 in Auckland.
The Government has set $180,000 as the upper household income threshold for first home buyers wanting one of its KiwiBuild homes.
The $650,000 price target is $181,600 above what Aucklanders, on average, think is an affordable maximum price.
The Government says it is looking at other measures to help make homes affordable. This includes a shared equity scheme, through which the Government and others, might contribute to deposits for first home buyers.
The shared equity policy has twice as many supporters as opponents (41% to 19%) according to Horizon’s survey.
Average maximum affordable house price data is from a nationwide housing affordability perceptions survey of 1,343 adults, representing 18+ population, conducted by Horizon Research in April 2018. At a 95% confidence level, the maximum margin of error is +/- 2.7%.

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