Young home buyers look to region

Young people make up just over 4 per cent of mortgagees in the Bay of Plenty, according to new figures.

Data showed 4.4 per cent of people with mortgages in the Bay of Plenty were under 30. That compared to 4.2 per cent in Auckland and was equal to Wellington.

The data has been supplied by Credit Simple - a website which calculates credit ratings and offers credit deals with banks, telcos or energy companies.

Ross Stanway, chief executive of Eves and Bayleys Real Estate, said young people were purchasing properties in the area.

"The general trend would be, there's certainly an increase in young people, particularly from Auckland buying properties here."

There was also a trend toward parents in the baby boomer age group purchasing properties on behalf their young adult children.

Sometimes those children were overseas but planned to return so their parents were assisting them to get a stake in the market, said Mr Stanway.

He said young people considered schooling needs, work locations and budget requirements when deciding where to buy in the region.

Statistics New Zealand figures show median weekly earnings were up 1.7 per cent to $843 in the Bay of Plenty in the year to the June 2016 quarter.

Credit Simple figures showed the average mortgage debt for under 30s in the Bay of Plenty was $268,253 and the average for over 30s was $258,122.

Credit Simple chief executive David Scognamiglio said data showed young Southlanders were the best placed in New Zealand to get a foot on the property ladder.

In Southland, 8.3 per cent of mortgagees were aged under 30.

"The idea that salaries and job prospects are only good in major centres such as Auckland and Wellington deserves much closer scrutiny," said Mr Scognamiglio.

Statistics on the median weekly income around the country from the June quarter showed Southland at $903 per week, while the South Island median was $880 and Auckland was $983.

"This data suggests an obvious question: Should young New Zealanders start thinking outside the Auckland box when it comes to jobs and buying property?"