Auckland home buyers now only $220,000 worse off under National

New home buyers in Auckland are on average $228,400 worse off when buying a home now than when National came to power, and National’s meek deposit policy does nothing to make housing more affordable says the Green Party.

“Since National came to power in 2008 the median house price in Auckland has risen by $228,400. Today’s announcement is a meek band aid solution to a much more serious problem,” said Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman.

“National chucking a few dollars at deposits does almost nothing to offset the massive increase in the average house price under their watch.

“While first home buyers will no doubt welcome any additional support, the reality is that it is a drop in the bucket. First home buyers will still be over $220,000 behind where they were in 2008 due to average price increases

“The only real difference to the current KiwiSaver policy is some home buyers will get up to $5000 more for a mortgage to buy an expensive new home. That extra subsidy doesn’t even touch the sides of offsetting the $228,400 increase in the median house price in Auckland.

“A few thousand dollars more for a deposit doesn’t address the much bigger issues of mortgage servicing and the lack of supply of genuinely affordable houses.

“This policy is underwhelming. If you are ineligible for the Home Start grant, all National is offering you is a few hundred dollars more a year, of your own savings, to go towards a deposit on increasingly expensive houses.

“National’s announcement does nothing to actually make houses more affordable or increase the supply of affordable homes.

“In Government, the Green Party will take real steps to assist with home affordability. We will introduce a capital gains tax (excluding the family home) and place restrictions on foreign investors to dampen housing speculation.

“We will increase the supply of affordable house by undertaking a programme of state building affordable houses and state houses.

“Our Progressive Ownership policy will allow low income families to 'rent-to-own' government-built houses at an affordable price.

“The Green’s policy addresses the real drivers of housing affordability and will deliver for those New Zealanders who have been priced out of the market under National.”

ends

© Scoop Media