Property values rise again in April

New Zealand's property market saw a slight 0.1% value increase in April, marking the third consecutive month of growth.

However, this national trend masks a regional divide, with major centres like Auckland and Wellington experiencing slight declines. According to Cotality economist Kelvin Davidson, headwinds like a slowing economy and rising mortgage rates could cause recent gains to peter out from May.

This potential cooling presents opportunities for first home buyers but may disappoint sellers hoping for strong capital growth.