Northland stories
Property sales jumped in May as lockdown eased, but volumes remained 46.6% below a year earlier and days to sell hit record highs.
New Zealand house prices climbed to a record high in April even as lockdown froze the market and sales volumes plunged 78.5%.
Statistics NZ said smaller standalone houses and more multi-unit builds have pushed the average floor area of new homes down 21% in a decade.
Tight stock and low borrowing costs helped drive New Zealand home sales to their busiest January in four years, REINZ said.
Lifestyle property sales picked up over summer, with the national median price reaching NZD $725,000 and demand still firm across several regions.
Tight supply and stronger demand lifted New Zealand house sales 12.3% in December, with prices rising in 15 of 16 regions.
Rising visitor numbers are putting New Zealand’s lakes, tracks and towns under strain, with a watchdog warning current policy will not curb damage.
Higher borrowing demand and scant listings pushed New Zealand’s national median house price to a record NZD $630,000 in November.
Auckland could gain valuable waterfront land and Northland secure a major jobs boost if the freight port is shifted, but the bill is likely to run to billions.
A new tech-focused tertiary school in Whangarei aims to address Northland's tech skills shortage, offering software development and design programmes.
Sales volumes in February marked the sharpest annual fall for 16 months, even as prices kept climbing across most of New Zealand.
Reopening of the Main North Line helped lift KiwiRail's half-year revenue 12% to GBP £328.8 million and surplus to GBP £16.3 million.
Lower supply is widening regional gaps, with Auckland and Canterbury cooling while most of New Zealand posts stronger house price growth.
Higher sales and record prices point to a spring lift in New Zealand housing, with 6,791 homes sold nationally in October.
Road freight operators say the new works will ease bottlenecks, but they want four-lane routes to match future traffic growth.
Architects and builders in five New Zealand centres can attend free talks on housing and construction challenges, with CPD points available.
Recognition for women in infrastructure comes after Sarah Lang grew the Women’s Infrastructure Network to seven chapters and 1,000 members.
Northland’s fast-moving network of chargers is helping EV drivers reach Cape Reinga, with 13 stations now in place across the region.
Drivers in Northland still face a busy SH1 corridor, as councils and hauliers warn the planned works fall short of rising traffic needs.
Prices outside Auckland climbed to record levels in March, even as the city’s median house price fell 2.2% year-on-year.
