The Auckland property market stirred itself from a two-month hibernation in November with sales numbers for the month increasing by close to 20 percent and average and median sales prices remaining firm. “They were small signs, but it indicates the Auckland market is holding firm and buyers are returning,” said Kiri Barfoot, a Director of Barfoot & Thompson. “There… Read full post

Southern Hemisphere and NZ first Powered by Via, the New York-based shared ride leader Professional, on-demand, shared-ride transport for a flat fare   New Zealand bus and transport company Go Bus today marked a Southern Hemisphere first as Savy hit the road in Queenstown. Using a smart phone app and the efficiencies of ride sharing, Savy will provide… Read full post

ChildFund New Zealand is celebrating with Karla Goodwin of Bluebells Cakery to highlight the gift of chickens and their eggs, and encourage Kiwis to continue their generosity this Christmas A pair of chickens purchased and given through ChildFund New Zealand's Gifts that Grow catalogue has the power to change a child's life In the past 10 years, 55,000 Gifts that Grow gifts… Read full post

A group of young writers aged 9 to 13 have published a new book, joining a team of accomplished authors and illustrators who have helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Starship Foundation over the past decade. ‘ Triumphs, Twists and Tasty Treats’, the 10 th annual children’s book from Barfoot & Thompson’s Young Authors Challenge, was launched last night… Read full post

By Sandy Trigg, General Manager. What is exactly is a PR scandal? I should probably know – right! But a headline popped into my inbox yesterday that made me fizz… ‘ Netflix swiftly distances itself from Kevin Spacey amidst PR scandal ’. Yes, I think Kevin Spacey has probably taken some poor communications advice and someone should (and maybe did) urge extreme caution… Read full post

New Zealanders estimate they waste on average nearly an eighth of their weekly food purchases. Estimated food waste is equivalent to $1071 worth of food per household, per year. Those who eat out more than three times per week are the most likely to waste food, wasting ~ 21 per cent of the food they purchase. New research has found… Read full post

Rent increased by 4.7% in Q3 2017 compared with Q3 2016, with average weekyl rent for a three-bedroom home now $542 Average rent for properties in the Central Suburbs increased by 6.2% Average rent for one-bedroom properties increased by 6.02%   Costs and risk of owning a rental are increasing Third quarter figures (July to September 2017) released today… Read full post

Whether it’s piled on toast, used as a pizza topping, sandwiched between a toastie, or eaten hot straight from the bowl, Kiwis love the unmistakable taste of Wattie’s Baked Beans and Wattie’s Spaghetti. Our love affair is no secret, and chances are you’ve got a can of Wattie’s Baked Beans or Wattie’s Spaghetti sitting in your pantry. Now families can enjoy their… Read full post

In a survey of Auckland renters living in properties managed by Barfoot & Thompson, a strong majority maintained their ambition to own a home of their own - with fifty-nine percent saying they intended to buy in the next two-to-five years. The response surprised even Barfoot & Thompson, Auckland’s leading real estate company. “We were taken by surprise by the positive response… Read full post

The insulation and property management industries are encouraging landlords to insulate their properties sooner rather than later to ensure they will comply with the installation standard NZS 4246 under the Residential Tenancies Act by the July 1, 2019 deadline. This follows a survey of Insulation Association of New Zealand ( IAONZ) members that indicates around 170,000 rental properties throughout… Read full post