Rural property sales are on the up, although this may just be a reflection on the decreasing prices in the sector.
In the Bay of Plenty in the three month period ending April, the median price for a farm was $922,500 compared to being $950,000 in the three month period ending March. It was, however, up on the median price for the three month period ending April 2009, which was $915,000.



There were 26 farm sales in the recent period. These were 20 horticulture, three grazing and one forestry. This was up on the 20 sold in the March period, but was down on the 27 sold in the April 2009 period.
In the April 2010 period, 85 lifestyle blocks were sold in the Bay of Plenty. This was up on the 78 sold in the March period, but down on the April 2009 period, when 93 were sold. The Bay of Plenty lifestyle block median price decreased to $475,000 in the April period from $487,500 in the March period, but was even with April 2009 at $475,000.