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What the property market holds in store for 2019
Auckland home buyers need to get in quick - city house prices could leap to record highs by this time next year, one property pundit predicts.
Infometrics economist Paul Barkle says that while Auckland house prices have stagnated for close to two years they are set for an almost 10 per cent jump next year followed by sustained increases through to mid-2022.
Behind the forecast price rise is an acute shortage of houses. By Barkle's estimate the city needs at least 45,000 more homes.
But the news is not so rosy for homeowners outside the Super City, with national prices poised to ease next year from current record highs.
"By the end of next year we expect house prices in Auckland to be 9 per cent higher than in December 2018 compared to a slight decline in national prices of roughly 1 per cent over the same period," Barkle said.
Should Barkle's forecast play out, it would push Auckland property values to new highs.
Last month, the city's median price reached $867,000 - or 3.7 per cent below the record price of $900,000 set in March 2017, according to the Real Estate Institute of NZ.
National house prices, meanwhile, are already at record highs with a November median price of $575,000.
Not all pundits agree with Barkle's upbeat forecast.
Devon Funds managing director Slade Robertson said New Zealand's housing market was due for a fall, with the real question being: 'Will it be a crash or a correction?'
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What workplace change would you like to see most?
This coming Monday is Labour Day in New Zealand. This public holiday marks when the eight-hour workday and 48-hour workweek became law in 1899. The idea started with Samuel Parnell, a carpenter in Wellington, who in 1840 refused to work more than eight hours a day. Since skilled workers were in short supply, his employer had to agree.
As more skilled workers arrived, employers tried to change working conditions, but Parnell and others kept pushing for better rights. In 1890, Parnell led a Labour Day parade of 1,500 people to promote the eight-hour day. He passed away shortly after, and nine years later, Labour Day became an official public holiday.
Do you feel that we have reached the ideal in working environments yet? What rights are you passionate about relating to employment? Share your thoughts!
What's your favourite recipe for gooseberry?
Love gooseberries? Share your favourite way to enjoy them. We're looking for our readers' favourite family recipes for this delicious crop. Send yours to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the magazine, you will receive a free copy of our December 2024 issue.
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