Property

House price rise expectations dwindle

The number of people expecting house prices to rise over the next 12 months dropped significantly during the last quarter, although the number thinking this is a bad time to buy a house held steady at a net 18%.

Tuesday, May 11th 2004

ASB Bank’s latest survey found a net 12% are expecting house prices will rise in the three months ended April, down from an average net 50% through 2003.

A net 58% expect interest rates will rise, up from 56% three months earlier.

ASB Bank chief economist Anthony Byett says the survey results are a reminder of the cyclical nature of housing.

He notes that the Reserve Bank has already started raising interest rates and that net immigration is slowing. The central bank has raised its official cash rate twice from 5% to 5.5% since late January.

"These factors, plus the survey results, suggest that the housing market may be peaking," Byett says

Read More - Opens in a new window

Most Read

Unity First Home Buyer special 3.99
SBS FirstHome Combo 3.99
ICBC 4.25
Co-operative Bank - First Home Special 4.39
TSB Special 4.49
ANZ Special 4.49
ASB Bank 4.49
SBS Bank Special 4.49
Unity Special 4.49
Westpac Special 4.49
Kiwibank Special 4.49
TSB Special 4.00
Kainga Ora 4.49
Kiwibank Special 4.49
ICBC 4.59
Unity Special 4.65
ANZ Special 4.69
SBS Bank Special 4.69
Nelson Building Society 4.69
BNZ - Std 4.69
Westpac Special 4.75
AIA - Go Home Loans 4.75
ICBC 4.99
Kainga Ora 5.15
SBS Bank Special 5.29
Westpac Special 5.29
BNZ - Std 5.29
Kiwibank Special 5.39
TSB Special 5.39
ASB Bank 5.45
AIA - Go Home Loans 5.45
Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ 5.49
BNZ - Classic 5.59
SBS FirstHome Combo 3.29
AIA - Back My Build 3.34
SBS Construction lending for FHB 3.74
CFML 321 Loans 3.95
Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ 4.99
Co-operative Bank - Standard 4.99
Heartland Bank - Online 5.30
ICBC 5.39
Kiwibank - Offset 5.65
Kiwibank 5.65
Kainga Ora 5.69

More Stories

Wednesday, January 07th 2026

Queenstown not off the radar for first home buyers

First home buyers are not being deterred by Queenstown’s soaring house prices.

Record levels of first home buyers taking out low deposit loans

Tuesday, December 23rd 2025

Record levels of first home buyers taking out low deposit loans

About half of all first home buyer lending has been done at a less than 20% deposit in recent months.

Buyers sitting on the sidelines in best time to buy in a decade

Thursday, December 04th 2025

Buyers sitting on the sidelines in best time to buy in a decade

Stable house prices, low interest rates and plenty of houses to choose from are still not enticing buyers.

Differing views on 50-year mortgage

Tuesday, December 02nd 2025

Differing views on 50-year mortgage

US president Donald Trump recently raised the idea of 50 year mortgages; but New Zealand advisers say such long loans won’t take off in New Zealand.