Over 600 Wairarapa properties online

More than 600 residential Wairarapa properties listed on Trade Me Property reflects the increased popularity of internet listings, according to company management.
Mike O'Donnell, Trade Me commercial head, said as of Monday Trade Me Property had 629 residential property listings in Wairarapa.
"A year ago we had 490 so it's a pretty solid increase of 28 per cent in the last 12 months.
"Basically we've seen very good growth of Wairarapa listings over the last 12 months with more people chosing to market their houses online. Masterton is the most popular town with 249 houses for sale, followed by Featherston at 108 and Martinborough at 51."
Mr O'Donnell said that at the same time last year Masterton had the most listings followed by Greytown and Carterton.
He said the average price for properties offered in Wairarapa is $311,000, up 4.36 per cent from the average offered sale price a year ago of $298,000.
Quotable Value spokesperson Blu Hancock said Trade Me and similar online auction sites had "certainly become more popular as far as listings are concerned".
"But whether or not it's people testing the market or genuinely wanting to sell I couldn't comment but my feeling is that properties are being sold on the internet."
Nationally, Mr Hancock said residential sales volumes were back down below 2001 levels.
He was reluctant to use the term "recession" to describe the volume drop-off, instead putting the decrease down to expected market fluctuations.
"It's a natural market correction based on the fundamentals of the marketplace, like the high interest rates we had earlier on.
"Now with lowering interest rates we're noticing volume is picking up but in saying that I do believe we're going to see a lot more played out in the marketplace with things like increasing unemployment creating uncertainty.
"It just depends how long that uncertainty exist I believe the market will bobble and slide around for the next three years before we see anything positive," Mr Hancock said.