Auckland homes smaller and costlier

The average price per square metre of an Auckland house is now about 75% more expensive than it was two years ago. Photo / Getty Images

Auckland homes are not only getting more expensive but are also getting smaller.

The average price per square metre of an Auckland house is now about 75 per cent more expensive than it was two years ago, while its average size has shrunk by 44sq m.

These figures have been released in an analysis of homes advertised on Realestate.co.nz, comparing the average size and asking prices for houses and townhouses in the first half of 2013 against the first half of this year.

Auckland showed the biggest price rise — in 2013 the average home for sale had a floor area of 158sqm with an average asking price of $762,784 or $4,827 per square metre.

By 2015 the average size was down to 114sqm, with the average price rising to $970,789 or $8,493 per sqm.

Realestate.co.nz chief executive Brendon Skipper said the reduction reflected "the greater popularity of smaller townhouses, as well as infill housing coming on to the market".

In comparison, the price per sq m for the capital city fell by 2.6 per cent, to $3,294, while a Wellington home's average size was steady at 156sqm and the total average house price dipped from $526,722 to $512,258.

Of the 19 regions surveyed the cost per sqm has risen in 12. Auckland had the biggest increase but the Coromandel rose 35.13 per cent in the average price per sqm, to $8288. Wairarapa had the biggest drop in price, 7.7 per cent to $2301 per sqm.

House moves

Changing cost per square metre since 2013

• Auckland: Up by 75.94 per cent
• Wellington: Down by 2.6 per cent
• Canterbury: Up 3.6 per cent
• Southland: Up 12.29 per cent

Change in the size of our homes since 2013

• Auckland: 27.66 per cent smaller
• Wellington: Same size on average
• Canterbury: 3.57 per cent bigger
• Southland: 2.69 per cent smaller