Nationally, there had been a slow and steady improvement, she said.
“The number of properties sold increased by 14.1 percent (from 4509 to 5,145) year-on-year across New Zealand, compared with December 2022.
“The data shows that almost every region recorded year-on-year increases in the number of properties sold in December.
“Tasman led the way with the strongest year on year increase in properties sold (+47.8 percent), followed by Gisborne (+35.7 percent) and Northland (+31.3 percent).
“Taranaki was the only region to see a decrease in the number of properties sold year on year (-8 percent).”
Ray White Gisborne director Shelley Donaldson said it was great to see an increase in the number of sales for December, and even more interesting to see almost 70 percent of the property sold was under $700,000.
“There appears to be a sweet spot in the market for sellers in the $500,000 to $700,000 range as this is where the majority of the buyers are sitting.
“We are seeing first-home buyers back out in force and traditionally trying to get the sale over the line prior to the Christmas deadline. I think this played a part in the increased number of sales for December.
“Overall, we are down on the number of sales for 2023 versus 2022, with a number of factors contributing. Weather events, the rising cost of living and the election all played a role in this.
“Last week saw the first of our campaigns for 2024 go live, with open homes drawing in large crowds compared with the pre-Christmas market, even with soaring temperatures.
“January is usually quieter in terms of sales numbers, then we have a huge auction day on Saturday, February 10, so I look forward to seeing the results and sales numbers as we head into the year.”
Bayleys Gisborne director Simon Bousfield said the lift in sales numbers showed the residential market was active.
They were seeing sale prices at all levels — from higher-end riverfront and beachside prices reaching well over $1 million down to section sales as low as $100,000.
“Our inventory has been lower year on year for nine consecutive months, which tell us with high sales numbers that property is selling.
"The new median is showing us a reduction well off our peak a few years back, but the year-on-year house price index fall is only 0.2 percent, which is a more accurate reflection of a much smaller shift in house value year on year.”
Over the whole year, there were 369 sales here worth a combined value of $233.26 million — $7.32m down on the previous year but with 60 fewer sales.
