Bay to gain from lending limits

Hawke's Bay's burgeoning housing market could receive another boost in the form of new LVR limits.

Hawke's Bay's burgeoning housing market could receive another boost in the form of new LVR limits.

The announcement of the new limits comes as the median price of a Hawke's Bay property is more than $30,000 higher than last year, figures show.

The Reserve Bank intends in October to introduce new loan-to-value ratio (LVR) limits on lending to property investors in the Auckland Council area that would require those borrowers to have at least a 30 per cent deposit, it said in its six-monthly financial stability report.

The limits are aimed at taking the heat out of the property market in the country's biggest city, which the central bank sees as a key risk to the nation's financial system.

Trevor Kitchin, TelferYoung property valuer and chairman of the Hawke's Bay branch of the Property Institute of New Zealand, said the LVRs were a positive sign for the regions.

"Anything that potentially slows down the market in Auckland gives us the remote possibility of seeing some investment here."

He said the bank also planned to increase the number of loans with limits of 80 per cent from 10 per cent to 15 per cent for buyers outside Auckland.

"That's a positive thing in terms of people being able to borrow more money against the value of their homes, but it's a pretty small increase."

However, he said the changes indicated regional New Zealand would no longer be bogged down with restrictions designed to rein in the Auckland market.

"The Auckland issue is an Auckland issue, it's not a national issue. The Reserve Bank has recognised that, so that is another positive."

Tremains Real Estate director and co-owner Simon Tremain also welcomed the proposed changes.

He said the LVRs would encourage investors to look outside the Auckland market.

"Anything that releases the Reserve Bank restrictions is going to be good, and anything that gives more buying power to the regions over Auckland has also got to be good."

He said the region's housing market was the best he had seen it since before the global financial crisis, as evidenced by climbing prices.

Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) data showed the median price for a Bay property was $305,000 in April - a $30,000 increase on March and $36,000 increase on April 2014.

Trade Me property data also showed positive growth in the region, with a 9.4 per cent increase in average asking price year-on-year.

"People are investing in the Hawke's Bay market, confident that they'll see good capital growth," he said.