First-home buyers in Auckland are flocking to the west, where there are more new buyers than anywhere else in the country, latest data shows.
The analysis by PropertyIQ is the first to look at first-home buyer numbers since new bank lending restrictions were introduced on October 1.
The research company looked at every property transaction over the last 10 years to determine whether sales were to first-home buyers, movers or property investors.
It found 20 per cent of national sales of houses, flats and apartments since the start of 2012 were to first-home buyers.
The analysis also found a slight increase in first-home buyer activity in the two months since the Reserve Bank's lending restrictions came in.
Critics believe the restrictions will make it harder for first-time buyers to get onto the property ladder.
The area with the highest proportion of new buyers nationally was west Auckland, where 29 per cent were first-home buyers.
South Auckland was in the mid 20s, while North Shore was slightly above the national average, on 22 per cent, and central Auckland was slightly below, on 18 per cent