Housing Markets
Motu’s Housing Markets research examines house price dynamics in New Zealand regions. Work completed to date focuses on housing supply in Auckland and in Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman.
Project Summary
Motu’s Regional Housing Markets research programme examines house values across spatial communities and across time in order to identify economic variables that impact on the local economy. We use a specially constructed Quotable Value New Zealand (QVNZ)-sourced database for house prices and house sales, and a range of explanatory variables constructed consistently across territorial local authority (TLA) and regional council (RC) levels.
The housing research programme incorporates two regional housing projects: Housing Supply in the Auckland Region and Affordable Housing in the Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman Regions: A Solutions Study.
Housing Supply in the Auckland Region
The research examines constraints to the expansion of Auckland’s housing supply which contribute to increases in land and house prices. The research, in particular, highlights issues relating to limitations on greenfields land supply (partly as a result of Auckland’s Metropolitan Urban Limits), the closely held nature of greenfields land, difficulties of amalgamating land for development sites within the existing urban area, consent processing times (especially for notifiable consents) and community opposition both to intensification and greenfields development. The paper utilises a number of approaches to analyse these issues, including descriptive work (on supply, planning and zoning developments), econometric analysis, and interviews with private and public sector participants in the Auckland property market.
Affordable Housing in the Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman Regions
This research explores a range of actions designed to promote affordable housing in Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough (NTM). Improved access to affordable housing will assist workforce recruitment and retention, and so help assist economic performance in these regions. The final report builds on statistical evidence presented in five preliminary reports and on our consultations with local stakeholders, reference group members and the general public. All publications were released in 2007 and are available for download in the list below.
Arthur Grimes
Housing Supply in the Auckland Region
- Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand (CHRANZ)
- The Department of Building and Housing
- Housing New Zealand Corporation
Affordable Housing in the Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough Regions
- Grimes, Arthur, and Chris Young. 2010. "Anticipatory Effects of Rail Upgrades," Motu Research Update 19, p. 8.
- Olssen, Alex; Hugh McDonald; Arthur Grimes and Steven Stillman. 2010. "A State Housing Database: 1993-2009," Motu Working Paper 10-13.
- Grimes, Arthur and Chris Young. 2010. "A Simple Repeat Sales House Price Index: Comparative Properties Under Alternative Data Generation Processes," Motu Working Paper 10-10.
- Grimes, Arthur; Mark Holmes and Nicholas Tarrant. 2010. "New Zealand Housing Markets: Just a Bit-Player in the A-League?". Motu Working Paper 10-07.
- Grimes, Arthur and Andrew Aitken. 2010. "Housing Supply, Land Costs and Price Adjustment", Real Estate Economics 38:2, pp. 325-53.
- Coleman, Andrew. April 2010. "Squeezed in and squeezed out: the effects of population ageing on the demand for housing," Motu Working Paper 10-01.
- Maré, David C., Arthur Grimes and Melanie Morten. 2009. "Adjustment in Local Labour and Housing Markets," Australasian Journal of Regional Studies, 15:2, pp. 229-248.
- Coleman, Andrew and Grant Scobie. 2009. "A Simple Model of Housing Rental and Ownership with Policy Simulations," Treasury Working Paper 09-05.
- Coleman, Andrew. 2009. "The Long Term Effects of Capital Gains Taxes in New Zealand," Motu Working Paper 09-13.
- Holmes, Mark J. and Arthur Grimes. 2008. "Is There Long-Run Convergence of Regional House Prices in the UK?" Urban Studies, 45:8, pp. 1531-44.
- Coleman, Andrew. 2008. "Tax, Credit Constraints, and the Big Costs of Small Inflation," Motu Working Paper 08-14.
- Stillman, Steven and David C. Maré. 2008. "Housing Markets and Migration: Evidence from New Zealand," Motu Working Paper 08-06
- Grimes, Arthur; David C Maré and Melanie Morten. 2007. "Adjustment in Local Labour and Housing Markets," Motu Working Paper 07-10.
- Grimes, Arthur and Yun Liang. 2007. "Spatial Determinants of Land Prices in Auckland: Does the Metropolitan Urban Limit Have an Effect," Motu Working Paper 07-09.
- McLuskey, William; Andrew Aitken, Arthur Grimes, Suzi Kerr and Jason Timmins. 2006. "Rating Systems in New Zealand: An Empirical Investigation into Local Choice," Journal of Real Estate Literature, 14:3, pp. 381-397.
- Grimes, Arthur and Andrew Aitken. 2006 "Regional Housing Markets in New Zealand: House Price, Sales and Supply Responses," Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand, Department of Building and Housing, and Housing New Zealand Corporation, Wellington.
- Grimes, Arthur; Suzi Kerr, Andrew Aitken and Robert Sourell. 2006. "The Housing Fulcrum: Balancing Economic and Social Factors in Housing Research and Policy," Kotuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online, 1, pp. 65-79.
- Grimes, Arthur and Andrew Aitken. 2006. "How Does Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough Housing Adjust?" Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand, Department of Building and Housing, Housing New Zealand Corporation, Wellington.
- Grimes, Arthur and Andrew Aitken. 2006. "Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough Housing: Regional Context and Characteristics." Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand, Department of Building and Housing, Housing New Zealand Corporation, Wellington.
- Grimes, Arthur; Andrew Aitken, Ian Mitchell and Vicky Smith. 2006. "Housing Supply in the Auckland Region 2000-2005," Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand, Department of Building and Housing, Housing New Zealand Corporation, Wellington.
- Grimes, Arthur and Andrew Aitken. 2006. "Housing Supply and Price Adjustment," Motu Working Paper 06-01.
- Hall, Viv; John McDermott and James Tremewan. 2006. "The Ups and Downs of New Zealand House Prices," Motu Working Paper 06-03.
- Holmes, Mark J. and Arthur Grimes. 2005. "Is There Long-Run Convergence of Regional House Prices in the UK?," Motu Working Paper 05-11.
- Kerr, Suzi; Andrew Aitken and Arthur Grimes. 2004. "Land Taxes and Revenue Needs as Communities Grow and Decline: Evidence from New Zealand," Motu Working Paper 04-01.
- Grimes, Arthur; Suzi Kerr and Andrew Aitken. 2004. "Bi-Directional Impacts of Economic, Social and Environmental Changes and the New Zealand Housing Market," Motu Working Paper 04-09.
- Grimes, Arthur; Andrew Aitken and Suzi Kerr. 2004. "House Price Efficiency: Expectations, Sales, Symmetry," Motu Working Paper 04-02.
- Grimes, Arthur and Andrew Aitken. 2004 "What’s the Beef with House Prices: Economic Shocks and Local Housing Markets," Motu Working Paper 04-08.
- Grimes, Arthur; Suzi Kerr and Andrew Aitken. 2003. "Housing and Structural Adjustment," Centre for Housing Research, Aotearoa New Zealand, Department of Building and Housing, Housing New Zealand Corporation, Wellington. Also published as Motu Working Paper 03-09.
- Arthur Grimes; Suzi Kerr and Andrew Aitken. 2003. "House Prices and Regional Adjustment," New Zealand Geographical Society 22nd Conference Proceedings, pp. 238-241.
- Grimes, Arthur; Suzi Kerr and Andrew Aitken. 2003. "Housing and Economic Adjustment," Motu Working Paper 03-09.
- Kennedy, Marianna. 2009. "Does Immigration Raise House Prices? A Question of Correlation and Causation," EcoNZ, 22, 7-9.
- Motu Project Team. 2006. "Affordable Housing in Nelson, Tasman & Marlborough: Taking Action," Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand, Department of Building and Housing, Housing New Zealand Corporation, Wellington.
- James, Bev; Kay Saville-Smith and Ruth Fraser. 2006. "Stakeholder Perspectives and Experiences of Housing and Affordability in Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough," Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand, Department of Building and Housing, Housing New Zealand Corporation, Wellington.
- O’Malley, Steve. 2006. "Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough Housing: Urban Residential Land Use and Land Supply 1990-2005," Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand, Department of Building and Housing, Housing New Zealand Corporation, Wellington.
- Saville-Smith, Kay; Ruth Fraser and Bev James. 2006. "Public Perspectives on Housing and Affordability in Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough," Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand, Department of Building and Housing, Housing New Zealand Corporation, Wellington.