Realestate.co.nz chief executive Brendon Skipper said the beginning of the year always meant a huge number of listings, but last month had been particularly good.
"This bodes well for the first quarter as February and March are usually some of the busiest months of the year for new listings."
In January, there were 9536 new listings nationally - up 2.9 per cent on the same time last year and an increase of 15 per cent on December.
Meanwhile, inventory - the number of weeks it would take to sell all unsold housing stock on the market - fell last month to a record low since 2007. Auckland inventory fell to just over nine weeks, last month, while the national average fell to 21.4 weeks.
In comparison, the long-term average inventory in Auckland is 26 weeks, while the long-term national average is 36 weeks.
Mr Skipper said: "There appears to be no let-up in the seemingly unstoppable climb in average asking price of home sellers - not just in Auckland, but across the country.
"Coupled with the fall in inventory, the current property market is one of the most favourable for sellers for some time."
ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley said the housing market had picked up around the country since the election - particularly in Auckland.
"We've actually seen selling prices [in Auckland] pick up a bit as well," he said.
"So there's certainly some added price momentum coming back into the Auckland market."
Asking for more
• $750,023 record average asking price for a home in Auckland, last month.
• $732,240 average asking price for a home in Auckland, last June (the previous record).
• $498,471 record national average asking price last month.
• $497,840 national average asking price last November (the previous record).
