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New Zealand House Prices Remain Flat Amid Interest Rate and Election Uncertainty, Says ANZ

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New Zealand's house prices have maintained a flat trajectory in recent months, with downward pressure from cautious buyers and sellers pausing activity, ANZ said Friday in a Property Focus report.

The seasonally adjusted REINZ House Price Index rose 0.3% month-on-month in May, continuing the trend of modest movements, while house prices declined 0.5% from a year ago.

The firm said that if the recent decline in oil prices persists, there is scope for the economy and housing market to outperform its expectations in the coming months.

However, rising interest rates and uncertainty surrounding the general election in November are expected to keep the housing market subdued this year.

As markets are pricing in a higher interest-rate path than ANZ expects, and longer-term mortgage rates are much higher than shorter-term rates, the firm believes borrowers may find more value by fixing their mortgages for one to two years.

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