
About this episode
The episode discusses the potential impact of scrapping minimum apartment size rules in New Zealand and explores the implications for various stakeholders in the housing market.
Could the home of the future be the size of a carpark? The government is talking about scrapping minimum apartment size rules, and one Making Cents listener wants to know if that's a housing fix or a housing trap. Vanessa Williams from http://realestate.co.nz has fresh data to help us figure this out. We get into whether micro apartments could actually ease the housing shortage, what banks will and won't lend on when it comes to small apartments, and who this would most likely impact, from first home buyers, to investors, or students. Plus: how New Zealand's apartment market compares to the rest of the world, and whether our obsession with the quarter-acre dream is starting to shift. In this episode: Could scrapping minimum apartment sizes help first home buyers? What do banks actually lend on when it comes to small apartments? Are micro apartments a smart investment or a future problem? How New Zealand's property culture compares globally Who stands to gain, and who should be cautious If you have a letter you’d like us to answer, send it through to ask@francescook.co.nz and you might feature on our next episode! Follow me everywhere! Facebook /…
People in this episode
Host: Frances Cook
Guest: Vanessa Williams
Topics covered
- housing
- micro apartments
- real estate
- bank lending
- first home buyers
- investment
Keywords
- shoebox apartments
- housing shortage
- minimum apartment size
- bank lending
- investment
- first home buyers
- New Zealand property market
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: realestate.co.nz
Places: New Zealand
More episodes of Making Cents
- The SpaceX IPO Needs a Bright Red Hype Warning · June 11, 2026 · 11 min
- Can I Actually Count on NZ Super Being There For Me? · June 10, 2026 · 15 min
- The Investing Trap That Even the Experts Fall Into (And How to Avoid It) · June 7, 2026 · 43 min
- HOLY SH*T WE WON · June 4, 2026 · 2 min
- You're On Your Own, Kid. Here's What That Means For Your Money · June 4, 2026 · 7 min
- A Michelin-Trained Chef's Insider Secrets To Saving Money On Your Food · May 31, 2026 · 31 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Making Cents podcast page.