Out-of-towners entering the local housing market have seen the number of Northland house sales jump, a local agent says.
Prices have also edged higher.
Aucklanders moving north and expats returning from Australia were some of the buyers contributing to high sales figures, said Whangarei Barfoot and Thompson branch manager Martin Dear.
The Government has just unveiled changes to the KiwiSaver and Welcome Home schemes designed to help more Kiwis into homes, but Mr Dear said many recent Northland buyers did not fit into the first-home-buyer category, with numerous sales in the "upper amounts".
"I think affordability in this area is great, but I don't think we're getting a huge lot of younger people coming into the area because there's just not the work."