Residential building consents remained extremely weak over April, the ASB said today commenting on the latest official figures. Total consents declined 1.6% over the month, although once stripping out the volatile apartment component, core consent issuance increased slightly, up 3.8%.

There were 893 new homes, excluding apartments, authorised in April 2011, down 32 percent compared with April 2010, Statistics New Zealand said today. These figures are consistent with the longer-term picture provided by the trend, which has fallen nearly one-third since March 2010.

Auckland house sales lifted 3.3% over May (seasonally adjusted), and are up 12.2% on year-ago levels, according to the latest Barfoot and Thompson Auckland Housing Market Data. 

Auckland house prices in May reversed a three-month trend of rising values.

In October, property owners in Auckland will receive their first rating valuation from Auckland Council.

Council red tape, lack of finance and lack of confidence appear to be deterring section purchasers from building, according to First National’s monthly residential property survey.

For the first time since late 2009, the Auckland property market is turning in favour of sellers, with a significant fall in the average long-term number of new property listings in the region.

In a recent competition, Builderscrack.co.nz, a website where homeowners organise quotes from tradespeople, asked people to tell them about their dream renovation job.

Nine panel judges have hit the road around the country assessing this year’s entries in the Registered Master Builders PlaceMakers 2011 House of the Year and RMB Commercial Project Awards.

ASB report

Housing confidence lifted slightly in the three months to April. Price expectations also increased slightly, with the highest price expectations in Auckland. Optimism buoyed by a continued decline in interest rate expectations.