Quote Originally Posted by macduffy View Post
Isn't it curious that the govt won't take a first step by following Australia in restricting non-resident property investors to new developments? It hasn't been a "silver bullet" for Oz but it should give supply a boost and stop overseas investors from helping to inflate existing house prices. Naturally, real estate agents, mortgage loan brokers, property investors' organisations and property management companies will tell us that it wouldn't work, but the problem needs a multi-faceted approach if first home buyers are to have a chance of ever owning their own homes.
The problem in NZ is the supply of land. Can you imagine the howls of protest if finding somewhere to build became a competition with foreign buyers? Anyone can get a house built, we're not short of materials - but it's where to put it. There's consequences to this sort of policy that the Brits discovered years ago and Australia is about to. That is developments and sub-divisions quickly become undesirable areas without resident owners in the mix. Having whole subdivisions snapped up by foreign investors would lead to tenant dominated areas - not a good thing. I can't think of one good thing restricting foreign buyers to build new would achieve. After all, wouldn't NZ'ers leap into new building if land was available?