NZ home sales rise 20 percent in July, led by Auckland, Christchurch REINZ

NZ home sales rise 20 percent  in July, led by Auckland, Christchurch REINZ
By Hannah Lynch Aug. 9 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand home sales climbed 20 percent in July as the property market extended its recovery from the 2011 lows on continued strength in Auckland and Christchurch even as prices fell from June's record high. The number of sales rose to 5,907 in July from 4,928 the same month a year earlier and were down 3.7 percent from June, the Real Estate Institute said. The national median house sale price gained 4.6 percent to $361,000, down from June's record high of $372,000. "Buyer interest in Auckland and...