QV data shows building homes is key to affordability

The Government must urgently commit to building more affordable homes in Auckland because the market is failing to do so, the Green Party said today.

New QV data out today shows that an increase in new housing supply has kept homes affordable in Christchurch, while the average Auckland house price is now $992,207.

“Auckland’s average house price is zeroing in on a million dollars and the crisis is spreading to Tauranga and Hamilton – that won’t change unless the Government commits to building lots more houses,” Green Party housing spokesperson Metiria Turei said.

“Experts say the Christchurch housing market is ‘slow and steady’, because lots of new homes are being built, which is what we’d like to see in the rest of the country.

“A family in Christchurch saving for an average priced home below $500,000 is going to feel a lot more optimistic than an Auckland family looking at endless streets of million dollar houses.

“The market simply isn’t providing enough new homes in Auckland, so the Government needs to build its fair share to stabilise the market and provide realistically affordable homes.

“Housing won’t be affordable again until the Government steps up and tackles both supply and demand by building more homes, closing speculators’ tax loopholes, restricting overseas investors, and bringing in a proper capital gains tax (excluding the family home),” said Mrs Turei.

ENDS

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