House sales running hot despite cooling weather

Auckland's housing market is humming through the winter, with prices up in most suburban areas.

Data out yesterday from the Real Estate Institute and national agency chain Harcourts showed increases.

The institute said the median house price was down $6000 nationally.

Wendy Alexander, Barfoot & Thompson chief executive, said the long summer meant people relaxed, stayed in their summer clothes longer, avoided shopping malls and traded their houses.

"Now we're all going brrrrrr. Everyone is burrowing in. We're having a very quiet June. But in April and May, there was tremendous demand," she said. Barfoot's wanted more listings to satisfy buyer demand.

Glorianne Campbell of the institute said a combination of more demand and more expensive houses selling probably pushed up Auckland prices.

North Shore's median rose to $550,000 in May from April's $540,000 and was a big jump on the May 2009 median of $505,500, the institute found.

To read the full NZ Herald article, click here

Posted: 16 Jun 2010

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