New Zealand's government has announced a ban the purchase of homes foreigners. Soon-to-be Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Tuesday that the ban would begin early 2018. The measure is to address the current housing crisis New Zealand. For the past few decades, overseas buyers have been snapping houses as investments or holiday homes in New Zealand. This has created an increased demand properties, which has seen house prices soar. Prices have risen more than 50 per cent the last decade. New Zealanders are in arms at the inflated prices they now have to pay to buy a home. Many citizens have simply been priced of the market and cannot afford to get the housing ladder.
Ms Ardern expressed her determination to end the practice overseas investment increasing property prices. She said: "We are determined to make it easier Kiwis to buy their first home, so we are stopping foreign speculators buying houses and driving prices. Kiwis should not be outbid like this." However, the new measure will not apply to Australians. Furthermore, overseas investors will still be able to buy land. Ardern said the changes would not stop non-residents or non-citizens buying residential land to build a house . She stated: "Our position has always been that if you're adding to supply…then you will be able to build." Ardern said she hopes the ban will "take some the heat" of the property market.
