Mark Richardson says people need to get over their obsession with homeownership and realise it's not a right.
His comments came during a discussion on The AM Show on housing prices in New Zealand, which are continuing to climb in the regions.
- Property values jump in regions, drop in Auckland
- Auckland house prices drop
- The New Zealand suburbs profiting home owners the most
"It is a right to have a roof over your head, and therefore you need to be able to find accommodation, and I would say we have an accommodation crisis, we have an accommodation crisis more so I think we have an income crisis.
"But it's not a right to own a home, it's something that you should perhaps aspire to."
House prices are still climbing in the regions, up more than 2 percent over the last year, while Auckland property values slump.
Hastings saw a 2.5 percent increase over the last quarter, while Palmerston North had a 2.4 percent jump and Invercargill prices went up 3.2 percent.
In Auckland, value growth is down 0.8 percent over the last three months to an average value of $1,025,389. That is down by 2.6 percent year on year.
The nationwide average value of a home in New Zealand according to QV is $687,683.
QV's general manager David Nagel said he doesn't expect much to change as winter moves into spring.
Market conditions appear to be relatively stable, with record low interest rates likely to continue supporting steady buyer demand," Nagel said.
"As per usual, as we emerge out of winter, we're expecting a slight increase in listings and sales volumes although this won't have a substantial impact on market trends."
Newshub.
