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With good job security and sizeable deposits, first home buyers have jumped boots and all into the housing market since early this year. But with extra buyers set to appear in the near future, is time working against first home buyers?

The recent migration boom and rising construction costs have contributed to the growth in house prices — but what are the other factors causing them to rise, and how long will prices continue to increase?

The Reserve Bank is holding the OCR steady at 5.50%, and after rumblings from parts of the market that suggest we could be in for another hike, most economists are now predicting the OCR will remain at 5.50% through much of 2024. It’s not the news that Kiwi mortgage-holders were hoping for, but how can Kiwi benefit from higher interest rates?

Price changes have now entered the upward leg of the house price cycle, and the demand coming from first home buyers which has created this situation is now being boosted by investors returning to the market. But will the end of the upcoming election bring huge changes to the housing market?

New Zealand has narrowly escaped the technical recession that was called a few months back — but Kiwi households are still feeling the pressure from high interest rates. So with an Official Cash Rate (OCR) announcement on the cards for 4th October, what’s likely to happen with mortgage rates from here?

Seasonally adjusted data shows that house sales have risen again by around 8% in the past three months, and this has been led by Auckland, along with Wellington and Christchurch. But sales isn't the only thing that's grown — the recent immigration boom has added extra pressure to Auckland's housing stock. Will falling new-house construction in a time of strong population growth result in property shortages in 2024?

Young buyers are back in the market after being encouraged by lower house prices, greater listings numbers, higher deposits after 2-3 years of holding back from buying, a view that interest rates have about peaked, and a strong labour market bringing rising wages and high job security. So have investors joined them, and is FOMO back?

Sticking to the path it laid out for us in July, the RBNZ has opted to hold the OCR steady at 5.50% - and they're saying it might be 2025 before rates start to come down again. But global uncertainties, deflationary forces in China and the upcoming election has everyone holding their breath.

Bank margins in New Zealand are at record levels right now – higher than they’ve been in about 10 years. So why are headlines painting the image that bank margins are worryingly low?

The coming weakness in our economy would imply at a minimum no recovery in the housing market and maybe a continuation of the weakness since late-2021. But there are many other factors in play — so will the recently developed upward momentum continue into 2024?

To say that the track for inflation and therefore interest rates going forward is relatively unclear would be an understatement. The rises in bank borrowing costs here have prompted banks to raise their fixed mortgage rates another 0.25% or so in the past couple of months despite no new rise in the official cash rate. So what will happen to mortgage interest rates, and are we headed into uncertain territory?

Fixed mortgage interest rates are unlikely to show any meaningful decline until very late in the year. Will that continue on through to 2024, or will it be a year of falling house prices, rental market pressure and higher selling prices?