Large Increase in Real Estate Agencies

Large Increase in Real Estate Agencies

Real estate, house construction and commercial property have all shown notable increases in the number of businesses and the number of persons engaged, according to information released by Statistics New Zealand.

Real estate

There were 7,605 businesses mainly engaged as real estate agents as at February ƒ܃n2003. This was an increase of 11.5 percent when compared with February 2002, well ahead of the 4.8 percent increase recorded for the overall number of businesses in New Zealand.

Real estate agent businesses engaged approximately 15,000 full-time equivalent ƒ܃npersons (FTEs), up 6.6 percent from February 2002.

House construction

There were 10,817 businesses mainly involved in house construction, up 4.3 percent ƒ܃nfrom February 2002.

Businesses mainly involved in house construction employed more people in the year to ƒnFebruary 2003, with the number of FTEs growing by 9.2 percent to reach 22,000.

Commercial property

The number of businesses mainly engaged in commercial property operating and ƒndevelopment also increased by more than the average, with a 6.4 percent increase from February 2002 and a 69 percent increase in the six years since February 1997. The number of businesses operating in this industry stood at 42,748 as at February ƒn2003.

The increasing trend towards eating out and going for coffee has resulted in higher numbers of cafes and restaurants.

Cafes and restaurants

The number of businesses mainly operating as cafes and restaurants increased by 8.7 ƒnpercent to reach 5,118 as at February 2003.

In February 2003, these businesses employed approximately 38,000 FTEs, a 6.7 ƒ܃npercent increase when compared with February 2002.

The number of computer services businesses has increased since February 2002, and the number of employees has more than doubled since 1997.

Computer services

There were 6,621 businesses mainly engaged in computer services, an increase of 6.9 ƒnpercent when compared with February 2002. These businesses engaged approximately 24,000 FTEs, up 2.8 percent from February 2002 and 119 percent from February 1997.

While manufacturing remains the largest employing industry, there has been a notable decline in the numbers of employees working in clothing manufacturing.

Manufacturing

In February 2003, there were 20,921 businesses mainly involved in manufacturing, an ƒ܃nincrease of 2.4 percent when compared with February 2002.

The businesses predominantly involved in manufacturing engaged approximately ƒ܃n255,000 FTEs. This is a 3.3 percent increase when compared with February 2002.

Clothing manufacturing

There were 1,034 businesses mainly involved in clothing manufacturing (including ƒ܃nknitting mills). These businesses engaged approximately 9,000 FTEs, a decrease of 1.5 percent from February 2002 and a reduction of 26 percent since 1997.

Meat processing businesses have decreased but the number of employees has risen since February 2002.

Meat processing

Although the number of businesses mainly involved in meat and meat processing fell ƒ܃nby 4.9 percent between February 2002 and February 2003, the number of FTEs employed has increased by 3.4 percent.

More information

More detailed business statistics are available from the Statistics New Zealand website ¡V go to: http://www.stats.govt.nz/business-demographics.

Notes

(1) This is the third and final release presenting information on businesses in New Zealand as at February 2003. (2) This information comes from Statistics New Zealand's Business Frame. It excludes businesses engaged in farming, and generally excludes businesses whose GST turnover is less than $30,000 per year. The term 'business' includes enterprises which may be a company, partnership, trust, estate, incorporated society, producer board, local or central government organisation, voluntary organisation or self-employed individual. (3) FTE = full-time equivalent person.

Brian Pink

Government Statistician

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