TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 Arts & Entertainment $959K BOOST FLOOD BABY Pages 23-26 FOR MRI ARRIVES RESEARCH SAFELY PAGE 3 PAGE 7 Record median price — $570k 34 percent increase on 2019 63 properties sold in October No sign of market easing by Andrew Ashton of 2019. highest sales count for an October month auction. “Gisborne region’s median house price since 2005. “New listings are up 18.8 percent GISBORNE median house prices increased 34.1 percent year-on-year in “Open homes are very busy as limited from the same time last year, with stock have hit a record high for the second October 2020 to a new record of $570,000 stock on the market means competition is selling quickly.” successive month on the back of the — a $145,000 uplift from the same high for any listing. Property Brokers regional manager Joe hottest regional market in 15 years. time last year,” REINZ regional director “First-home buyers and investors are Snee said the data showed how desirable Sales have also increased considerably, Neville Falconer said. both very active in the market due to Gisborne was. with 63 properties sold last month, The median is $10,000 higher than continued low interest rates and lack “It’s outstripping large portions of the including $14 million of sales in a single September ($560,000), which was a of LVRs (loan-to-value ratios),” said Mr country. day. record for Gisborne. Falconer. “It’s happening across the country but New data from the Real Estate “Sales volumes for the region are up “Auctions continue to be a popular the volumes (of sales) here are unreal.” Institute shows the median price here 43.2 percent compared to October 2019. choice, with 74.6 percent of all sales last month was $145,000 up on October Sixty-three properties sold — the within the region being completed by CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Your journey to ENROL NOW! START success starts here FEB 2021 Check out our FREE programmes* free.eit.ac.nz NURSING & * conditions apply HEALTH SCIENCE 34817-05 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............11 Classifieds ... 18-19 Racing ................27 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............12 Television ...........22 Sport ............ 28-32 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National .......... 6-10 World............ 13-15 The Guide ... 23-26 Weather .............31 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Thursday, November 12, 2020 ROAD SAFETY A TWO-WAY STREET FOR the 50 student patrollers at Kaiti School, a growing number of distracted drivers is making their jobs even more challenging. Deputy principal Mandy Owen says drivers are more distracted than ever before and is calling on road users to pay more attention around schools. “Speed is still a major issue at our crossing, especially with vehicles coming from the Wainui direction,” she said. “We’re also really disappointed and concerned to see how many people are on their phones while driving. “It’s just not good enough and it’s not fair on the tamariki who are doing school patrols, who are often out there in all kinds of weather.” Kaiti School has a successful rotational patrol programme, with three classes of Year 6 students taking part. “Doing patrols is a big responsibility for the tamariki and they’re stepping up to take care of the other students and their families. Drivers need to do the same.” Police school community officer constable Carolyn Hodgkinson said Tairawhiti school patrols did an excellent job but also reiterated they all needed more support from road users. “Over Road Safety Week (November 9 to 15), we’re asking drivers to ditch the distractions and always scan for potential risks when driving past schools. “Drivers should always prepare to ON PATROL: Constable Sam Cairns, Kaiti School deputy principal Mandy Owen and Constable Carolyn Hodgkinson with Kaiti School’s stop when approaching a pedestrian Year 6 patrol team, who are calling for drivers to pay more attention around school. November 9 to 15 is Road Safety Week New Zealand. crossing.” Picture by Liam Clayton ‘The fever is still there’ FROM PAGE 1 “It’s the same thing all the time . In my 40 years of real estate I’ve never seen interest rates at this there is still a large shortage of homes for “We sold 28 properties on Saturday level.‘ It is the young ones who are buying and very happy to be on the those people who are out there looking. under the hammer, over $14 million in “As soon as we get more stock, maybe one day, and there were multiple bidders ownership ladder the market will naturally cool and there on every house we put up.” ’ —Bronwyn Kay won’t be that fever in the market but Further increases in activity could right now that fever is still there.” be expected on the back of the Reserve However, with interest rates so low, Bank indicating it would bring back young first-time buyers were still well restrictions on LVRs and provide cheap lack of) LVR restrictions. of buyers competing across each property represented in the market. loans to banks. “To my mind the real losers are the were the main drivers. “My view is if you want to buy a home, Mr Snee said the Reserve Bank did non-home owners — the renters. As first- Mr Bousfield said he did not think LVR there’s never been a better time,” said Ms what it could coming out of Covid-19 but home-owners and investors buy houses restrictions would have a massive impact Kay. that had created an unexpected demand. there’s fewer house for renters to live in on the market. “In my 40 years of real estate I’ve “They will have to do something on a week-to-week basis.” “You look at somewhere like Gisborne never seen interest rates at this level. moving forward but they will have to Bayleys Gisborne franchise owner and the jobs people hold and how the “It is the young ones who are buying be careful about what they do and what Simon Bousfield said he expected to see sectors are performing. and very happy to be on the ownership impacts it will have. the market continue on the same path “They are still in a strong position, ladder. So we are not seeing people “Everything they have indicated doing through the summer. keeping their roles and having the ability feeling any pain (or) frustrated that they will, in my mind, probably create a flurry LVR restrictions had only been brought to invest in something seen as a safe can’t find a home, and that frustration at the back end of the year before they forward two months, to March, so investment such as property, rather than means eventually you pay more than you do it. heightened activity in the market would putting that money elsewhere as they would like to. “First home buyers are winning at likely continue at least until then, he might have done in the past.” “But if the bank is allowing you to do the moment because they can borrow, said. Realter Bronwyn Kay said the market that then obviously you are in a position investors are winning because of (the A lack of stock and a greater number boiled down to supply and demand. to do so.” LOOKING AHEAD Vicki Coley SPORTS Sells Real Estate • Undefeated sides OBR and Boys’ High clash in Doleman Cup club cricket. • The Turanga Club Sevens are at Rugby Park on Saturday. • New faces in the Poverty Bay-East Coast men’s golf team for the national interprovincial. • The All Blacks are out to bounce back hard against the Pumas. FOCUS ON THE LAND TOMORROw SATuRdAy Vicki Coley Residential Sales Consultant The Gisborne Herald, 64 Gladstone Road, P.O. Box 1143, Gisborne • Phone (06) 869 0600 • Fax (Editorial) (06) 869 0643 (Advertising) (06) 869 0644 For a free no obligation appraisal call me. Editor: Jeremy Muir • Chief Reporter: Andrew Ashton • Circulation: Cara Haines • Sports: Jack Malcolm/John Gillies P 021 641 997 E [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz 32806-02 The Gisborne Herald • Thursday, November 12, 2020 NEWS 3 GBHS boys clean up scholarships DESPITE the challenges posed through the careers department, we by Covid-19 lockdown Gisborne are so pleased with this result,” Mrs Boys’ High students have excelled, Jefferson said. securing more than $435,000 in “Most significantly, this year we scholarships. have managed to help 28 boys and That was an increase of $205,000 their whanau with the growing costs on last year, Boys’ High careers of pursuing a tertiary education. head of department Maria Jefferson “There is a misconception said. that students are able to cover “These young men have shown their costs through the student that through strong academic, loan/allowance scheme. These sporting, cultural and community scholarships help to give students involvement, their efforts are the ability to start their education rewarded and celebrated by not only without worrying about how this will us but by tertiary providers and local impact on their whanau.” trusts and businesses.” The full list of scholarship A total of 28 students have been winners is — awarded scholarships to support University of Auckland: Nopera their learning at seven universities. Rangihuia Lindup, Kyle De Thier, SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS: Gisborne Boys’ High students whose path to university will be eased Local scholarships were also Raymond Pewhairangi, Elijah somewhat thanks to scholarship backing are, back, from left, Korbin Sheahan-Andrews, Caleb provided by EIT, Clark Charitable Kahuroa Stainton, Kapua Thornicroft.