Feature: Regional housing market report April

• Northland
• Auckland
• Waikato/Bay of Plenty/Gisborne
• Hawkes Bay
• Manawatu/Wanganui
• Taranaki
• Wellington
• Nelson/Marlborough
• Canterbury/Westland
• Central Otago/Lakes
• Otago
• Southland

Northland
A median price of $269,000 was recorded in Northland in April 2006 (March 2006: $280,000; April 2005: $230,000). In total, 207 houses changed hands during the month, down on the 300 that sold the month prior (April 2005: 307).

Auckland
The median sales price for a house in the Auckland region increased slightly to reach $387,250 in April, up from $385,000 in March and $369,000 in April 2005. In total, 2,450 houses sold during the month, down on the 3,474 sales achieved in March (April 2005; 2,916). It took 33 median days for a house to sell in this region in April, one less than the 34 it took in March.

North Shore City’s median price increased to $455,000 in April from $425,000 in March (April 2005: $405,000). Sales volume eased however with 435 houses sold during the month, down on March 2006’s 571 sales and April 2005’s 589 sales.

The median price for a home in the Waitakere City region rose by $6,000 to reach $341,000 in April (March 2006: $335,000; April 2005: $315,000). Sales volume also eased with 345 houses changing hands in April, down on the 419 sold in March 2006 and the 395 sold in April 2005.

Auckland City’s median price increased by $20,000 to reach $430,000 in April, up from $410,000 in March. Sales volume eased on a monthly basis though with 856 houses changing hands during the month, down on March’s 1,258 sales. In April 2005, 833 houses sold with a median sales price of $427,000.

In total, 461 houses sold in Manukau in April, down on both the 690 and 656 houses that sold in March 2006 and April 2005 respectively. The median sales price attained also eased on a monthly basis to $365,000 from $371,500 in March (April 2005: $325,000).

The median sales price for a home in Papakura eased on a monthly basis to $280,000 in April from $312,500 in March (April 2005: $249,000). In total 89 houses sold during the month, 33 less than the 122 sold in March and six less than the 95 sold in April last year.

The median price attained for a residential property in Metropolitan Auckland rose slightly to $390,000 in April from $385,750 in March. Sales volume eased with 2,186 houses sold in April, down on the 3,060 sold in March (April 2005: 2,568).

Waikato/Bay of Plenty/Gisborne
The median price for a house in the Waikato/Bay of Plenty/Gisborne region rose to reach $275,000 in April, up from $272,500 in March and $244,500 in April 2005. Sales turnover eased however with 1,106 houses changing hands (March 2006: 1,512; April 2005: 1,560).

The median price for a house in Hamilton City eased to $293,400 in April, down from $301,000 in March (April 2005: $256,000). Sales volume also eased with 270 houses sold during the month, down on both the 365 and 347 houses that sold in March 2006 and April 2005 respectively.

Sales volume decreased in the Waikato Country region in April, with 244 houses sold (March 2006: 342; April 2005: 315). The median price attained on the 244 sales increased to $215,000 from $210,000 in March and $165,000 in April 2005.

The median price for a house in Mt Maunganui/Papamoa eased on both a monthly and yearly comparison to $382,000 in April (March 2006: $417,000; April 2005: $419,000). Sales volume declined with 68 houses sold, down on the 117 and 103 sold in the previous month and year respectively.

In total, 141 houses sold in Tauranga in April, 21 less than the 162 sold in March (April 2005: 205). Despite this, the median sales price achieved gained ground to reach $335,000, up from $331,500 in March and $325,000 in April 2005.

The median price for a house in Rotorua continued to climb reaching $215,000 in April, a $5,000 increase on March’s median price of $210,000. Sales turnover eased though, with 113 houses sold, down on the 181 sold in March. In April 2005, 187 houses sold with a median sales price of $174,000.

Sales volume fell in Taupo in April with 67 houses sold, down on the 76 and 86 houses that sold in March 2006 and April 2005 respectively. The median sales price achieved on the 67 sales was $331,000, an improvement on the $321,000 median achieved in March (April 2005: $332,500).

The median price for a house in Gisborne City eased slightly in April to $212,500, from $213,000 in March (April 2005: $170,000). Sales volume fell with 58 houses changing hands during the month, down on the 71 and 78 sales achieved in March 2006 and April 2005 respectively.

Hawkes Bay
Sales turnover eased slightly in the Hawkes Bay in March, with 269 homes sold, 21 less than the 290 sold in March. The median sales price achieved eased on a monthly basis also to $246,000 from $277,750 in March. In April 2005, 306 houses sold with a median sales price of $230,000.

Manawatu/Wanganui
The median price for a house in the Manawatu/Wanganui region increased by over $10,000 to reach $190,000 in April, up from $179,500 in March (April 2005: $155,000). Despite the improvement in price, sales volume eased with 421 houses sold, well down on the 546 sold in March and the 482 sold in April 2005. It took 31 median days for a house to sell in this region in April, two more than the 29 in took in March.

Taranaki
In total, 206 houses sold in Taranaki in April, an improvement on the 192 sales achieved in April last year, but slightly down on the 243 sales generated in March 2006. The median sales price attained on the 206 sales increased by $15,000 to reach $240,000 (March 2006: $225,000; April 2005: $162,638).

Wellington
Wellington’s median sales price improved to reach $335,000 in April, up on both the $323,000 and $275,000 median sales prices achieved in March 2006 and April 2005 respectively. Sales volume declined on a monthly comparison from 1,145 in March to 973 in April (April 2005: 960).

The median price for a house in the Hutt Valley increased by $21,000 to reach $283,500 in April, up from $262,500 in March. In total, 158 houses sold during the month, down on the191 that sold in March. In April 2005, 259 houses sold with a median price of $241,000.

Sales volume also eased in Northern Wellington, with 91 houses sold during the month, down on the 155 sold in March (April 2005: 79). The median sales price gained ground on a monthly basis increasing to $376,000 from $370,250 in March (April 2005: $390,000).

The median price for a house in Western Wellington improved substantially to reach $525,000 in April, up from $461,500 in March and $410,000 in April 2005. Sales turnover eased slightly with 65 houses sold, three less than the 68 sold in March (April 2005: 51).

Sales volume increased in Southern Wellington with 115 properties sold in April, up on the 65 sold in March and the 41 sold in April 2005. Despite this, the median sales price eased to $391,000 from $410,000 (April 2005: $370,156).

The median price for a house in Eastern Wellington eased from $450,000 in March to $447,000 in April. Sales also dipped slightly, with 77 houses changing hands in April, six less than the 83 sold in March. In April 2005, 37 houses sold with a median sales price of $470,000.

Sales volume improved in Wellington Central in April, with 130 houses changing hands, 41 more than the 89 sold in March and 72 more than the 58 sold in April 2005. The median sales price eased on a monthly basis to $407,750 in April from $425,000 in March (April 2005: $316,000).

Nelson/Marlborough

The median price for a house in the Nelson/Marlborough region improved to reach $298,250 in April, up from $280,000 in March. Sales volume decreased however with 258 houses sold in the region, 100 less than the 358 sold the month prior. In April 2005, 234 houses sold with a median sales price of $269,000.

The median price for a house in Marlborough/Kaikoura rose to $262,000 in April, up on the $255,000 and $239,000 medians achieved in March 2006 and April 2005 respectively. Sales turnover also increased with 105 houses changing hands during the month, up on both the 87 and 70 sales achieved in April 2005 respectively.

Sales volume dipped in Nelson during the month, with 150 houses sold, just down on the 160 houses that sold in both March 2006 and April 2005. The median sales price achieved rose to $317,000, a $15,000 improvement on March’s $302,000 median (April 2005: $290,000).

Canterbury/Westland
Sales volume eased in the Canterbury/Westland region in April, with 1,076 houses sold during the month, down on both the 1,477 and 1,233 sales achieved in March 2006 and April 2005 respectively. Despite the easing sales turnover, the median price achieved for these sales rose to reach $275,000, up from $266,050 in March (April 2005: $242,000).

The median price for a house in the City Central increased significantly to reach $390,000 in April, well up on March’s median price of $310,000. In total 19 houses sold, down on the 33 sold the month prior. In April 2005, 31 houses sold with a median sales price of $260,000.

76 houses sold in the North Eastern areas of Christchurch in April, four less than the 80 sold in March, and nine more than the 67 sold in April 2005. The median sales price attained on the 76 sales eased on a monthly basis to $280,750 from $289,750 in March (April 2005: $275,000).

West Inner Christchurch’s median price fell on a monthly comparison to $261,750 in April (March 2006: $299,000; April 2005: $229,500). In total, 30 houses sold during the month, ten less than the 40 sold in March and eight more than the 22 sold in April 2005.

Sales volume also eased in West Outer areas with 46 houses sold in April, 15 less than the 61 sold in March. The median sales price attained also eased to $242,500 during the month, down on March’s median price of $259,000. In April 2005, 51 houses sold with a median sales price of $230,000.

The median price achieved in North West Inner Christchurch improved significantly to reach $490,130 in April (March 2006: $421,000; April 2005: $417,500). Sales turnover eased however with 60 houses sold, down on both the 73 and 72 sales achieved in March 2006 and April 2005 respectively.

Christchurch City’s median price continued to climb in April reaching $290,000, up from $285,000 in March and $260,000 in April 2005. In total 754 houses sold during the month, down on both the 1,015 and 800 sales achieved in the previous month and year respectively.

Central Otago Lakes
In total, 115 houses sold in this region in April 2006, seven more than the 108 sold in March and 15 less than the 130 that sold in April 2005. The median price attained on these sales also increased, rising by $35,000 to reach $430,000 (March 2006 and April 2005: $395,000).

The median price for a house in Central Otago improved to reach $330,000 in April, up from $312,500 in March (April 2005: $342,000). In total 50 houses changed hands, four less than the 54 sold in March, and 29 less than the 79 sold in April 2005.

The median price for a house in Queenstown increased to reach $525,000 in April, up on March’s median price of $503,500 and April 2005’s median price of $470,000. In total, 65 houses sold during the month, 11 more than the 54 sold in March (April 2005: 51).

Otago
293 houses sold in Otago in April, 80 less than the 373 sold in March. The median sales price achieved on the 293 sales also eased slightly from $219,000 in March to $218,000 in April. In April 2005 323 houses sold with a median sales price of $195,000.

The median price for a house in Dunedin City eased to $234,000 from $238,000 in March (April 2005: $210,000). Sales volume followed this trend and fell from 275 sales in March to 218 in April (April 2005: 239).

Sales volume also eased in North Otago, where 39 houses sold in April, 19 less than the 58 sold in March, and equal with the 39 sales achieved in April 2005. The median sales price achieved on the 39 sales reached $155,000, a $9,000 increase on March’s median price of $146,000 (April 2005: $162,000).

The median price for a house in South Otago rose steadily to reach $150,000 in April, a healthy improvement on March’s median price of $130,250. Sales volume declined slightly with 25 houses sold in April, three less than the 28 sold the month prior. In April 2005, 34 houses sold with a median sales price of $140,000.

Sales volume eased ever so slightly on a monthly basis in East Otago in April, with 11 houses sold, one less than the 12 sold in March (April 2005: 11). The median sales price emulated this trend and fell from $177,500 in March to $172,000 in April 2006, though remaining up on the $140,000 median price achieved in April 2005.

Southland
The median price for a house in the Southland region eased to $127,750 in April, down slightly from $129,000 in March, although remaining up on April 2005’s median price of $126,250. In total, 202 houses sold during the month (March 2006: 269; April 2005: 232). It took 30 median days for a house to sell in April 2006, a positive result when compared to the 34 median days it took in March 2006.