RBNZ starts consulting on tougher rules for property speculators

RBNZ starts consulting on tougher rules for property speculators
By Paul McBeth March 5 (BusinessDesk) - The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is stepping up preparations to restrict lending to residential property investors as it watches house prices, particularly in Auckland, continue to rise strongly. A consultation paper issued today seeks submissions on proposals to impose new capital adequacy requirements on lending to property investors, who it says carry a higher risk than traditional owner-occupier mortgage-holders.  The central bank has previously talked in the past about imposing such restrictions...