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Houses in Auckland - Source: ONE News
The median national price for houses sold in September lifted nearly 1% from $346,750 in August to $350,000, according to data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ).
Compared with the same time last year, median house prices rose 6% on the $330,000 in September 2008.
Regionally, Auckland, Taranaki and Wellington saw the largest prices increases. Auckland climbed 8.33% from a median of $420,000 to $455,000, Taranaki was up 10.29% from $256,583 to $283,000, and Wellington increased 8.04% from $350,000 to $378,168.
Only three of the 12 regions recorded a decline in prices: Northland, Hawke's Bay and Central Otago Lakes.
REINZ says the figures suggest buyers and sellers are becoming increasingly confident.
"We're seeing a slow, but steady, appreciation in sale values and we're now back to the prices being fetched in the corresponding period in 2007 when the median was $351,500," REINZ president, Peter McDonald says.
Increased sales were seen across the board of house values, with REINZ saying there was a swing towards houses in the upper price bracket. The number of houses in the $1 million and over category was 216 in September compared with 163 in August 2009, and more than double the 94 sold in September 2008.
Sales turnover also increased, up 30% to 6,464 sales compared with 4,499 sales in September 2008. Turnover was also up on the 5,894 in September 2007 but well down on the 8,658 properties which changed hands in September 2006.
McDonald says the industry is also encouraged by the shorter time taken to sell properties.
In September, the median number of days to sell was 33 days
compared with 34 in August and 53 in September 2008 - bringing
September 2009 in line with 32 days in September 2007.
