Episode Details

In 2015 when he and his wife Selena published Generation Rent Rethinking New Zealand’s Priorities, economist Shamubeel Eaqub admits he was pessimistic about the housing market. That has now changed. 

Speaking in interest.co.nz's Of Interest Podcast, Eaqub, now of economic consultancy Sense Partners, explains why he's now optimistic about the housing market.

"I think there is a consensus across the political spectrum that there is a problem, and now we're fighting about what the solutions are. To me that's a really optimistic place to be when it comes to the housing market," Eaqub says.

"We've seen changes in the Auckland Unitary Plan which has led to significant increase in supply, diversity of types of supply in terms of more medium density [housing], high density, places that are infills, places that are greenfield. So we're seeing really good progress. We've seen changes in the Residential Tenancies Act, it's not perfect but it's heading in the right direction. Recently we saw an announcement for build to rent. Again it's not perfect, [but is] heading in the right direction. We're building more state houses, [which is] very, very good because we have a massive wait list of over 25,000 households that are waiting for social housing."

"So I think we are heading in the right direction in that the balance has moved from apathy towards action, and we are arguing about what are the best solutions," Eaqub says.

In the podcast he also talks about why a land tax - a "pseudo wealth tax" - is top of his housing market wish list, the psychology of the housing market, pressure on the Reserve Bank after it "misdiagnosed the [Covid-19] problem and flooded the housing market with money with predictable results," and perhaps what it should've done, outdated thinking in the public service, the needs of renters and requirements for affordable housing, consenting, the current difficulties for borrowers in attracting mortgages and how and when this might change, and much more.

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