Search for new Auckland CVs crashes council website

The message greeting many people trying to search for their new CV on the Auckland Council website this morning.

Auckland Council's website crashed this morning, with people eager to find out the new value of their home overloading the site.

Today the Auckland Council released individual capital valuations online. Although the news valuations were available earlier this morning, later the site showed either a message saying the information wasn't available at the moment or the search showed no properties matching the address.

In a statement the council said its website was "experiencing technical difficulties due to the high volume of traffic checking for property revaluations.

"We hope to have this resolved shortly," the council said, advising curious residents to check back later today.

The valuations are used by the council to set rates bills, and will be sent in hard-copy format to households from this week.

Calculations based on today's new figures will apply from July next year.

The average valuation increase for all properties in the city is 29 per cent, the council announced last month.

Residential properties will increase by an average of 34 per cent, commercial 16.4 per cent, industrial 15.7 per cent, lifestyle 17.7 per cent and rural 4.6 per cent.

Real Estate Institute of New Zealand chief executive Helen O'Sullivan said it was unlikely the valuations would have an impact on Auckland's red-hot property market.

"The council's valuations should reflect the market rather than drive it," she said.

"It is positive for people to have an updated council valuation because there has been quite a few moves in the market since the last ones."

The last valuations were completed in 2011; they are redone every three years.

"The biggest questions people will be asking based on the valuations will be, 'What is my rates bill?' and there will be some uncertainly around that for the next few months."

Property buyers and sellers should be mindful of impending rates bill changes when completing transactions in the next few months, she said.

Properties with valuations above the 29 per cent average would have a rates increase, and properties below would have a rates decrease.

The council released its proposed average rates changes at suburban level, with big increases of 9.6 per cent signalled for the Albert-Eden Local Board area and 9.3 per cent for Kaipatiki, and a decrease of 21.9 per cent for Great Barrier.

The new valuations will be available at www.auckland council.govt.nz/revaluation from today, and owners have until December 19 to dispute any changes.

Next trending article: Duelling limos : The most politically correct limousines