Property investors are looking for bargains and raising rents, according to the inaugural landlords.co.nz quarterly survey. The results show 20% of those polled intend buying a rental property before the end of the year and 52% aim to increase their portfolio by Christmas 2009.
Thursday, September 11th 2008, 12:00AM
by The Landlord
The nationwide online survey was conducted last week and elicited 600 responses. The survey is designed as a barometer of investors' intentions. Investors were divided about the direction of house prices in the next six months, with 42.5% predicting no change and 47.5% expecting prices to deteriorate. Ten percent of investors were optimistic, saying prices are set to rise.
The survey also showed many investors have managed to raise rentals during a period when the property market has been characterized as being in a slump. Of those polled, 45.7% increased rents in the past six months and 66.5% had put up their rents in the past 12 months.
The biggest percentage of landlords, 38.5%, raised rents by 1% to 5%, while 34% increased rents by 6% to 10%.
Those cutting rents in the past six months amounted to 7.8%, with 75.5% saying they have never decreased rents.
Looking out over the next six months, 28.8% expect rents will rise, 59.3% say they will remain unchanged and 11.8% predict a decrease.
