Letters to the editor: Property investment is more attractive

Investing in property is cheap, locking out first-home buyers, says a reader. Photo / File

Richard Evans (Letters, September 10) believes we should stop maligning landlords and instead encourage them to buy more rentals.

With more rentals available, rent increases will steady, he says.

Let's analyse this hypothesis.

House prices have gone through the roof.

Why? Because demand is outstripping supply.

Why? Because investors are putting their money into bricks and mortar.

Why? Because bank interest rates are low.

It is cheap to service a mortgage especially if your tenants are doing it for you.

Why keep your money in the bank and get next to no interest - especially when New Zealand does not have a capital gains tax? A win-win.

You the landlord, have chosen to enter the business of renting.

If you don't like the reality put your property or properties on the market.

Hopefully, a first-time buyer will be able to get on the property ladder when the jettisoned rentals flood the market resulting in a drastic drop in prices.

One can only hope. (Abridged)

Lesley Haddon
Rotorua

Another holiday, another cost

I had a thought the other day around the discussion and now the promise of yet another public holiday in the form of Matariki, the Māori new year.

Many employers are quite rightly crying foul in that this becomes yet another cost in an already burdened commercial scene.

Not only does it mean a paid holiday for staff but of course there's no production and can therefore be seen as a double whammy on their bottom line.

A justifiable grump I'd have thought because many people struggle with already pared returns due to Covid shutdowns.

How about we swap the Christmas two-day break for Matariki?

I hear howls from many sides but let's consider for a moment:

In the week after Christmas, we observe the New Year's entrance and get a couple of days for that and the prolonged Christmas/New Year break is often considered an annoying disruption to economic activity.

Paul tells us in Romans 14 not to be concerned about observing particular days but to allow those who do to live in accordance with their personal convictions.

John Williams
Ngongotahā

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