Almost 20 per cent or one in five property sales in central Auckland in the last three months were to overseas buyers.

Data from Statistics New Zealand, which tracked ownership changes, showed this was about 450 sales in the Waitmata Ward, which includes Waiheke Island.

Across the country just over three per cent of home ownership transfers were to non-Kiwis.

The government is in the process of amending the Overseas Investment Act to stop foreign speculators buying houses which would otherwise be available for New Zealanders.

Bindi Norwell, chief executive of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand, said the figures were not high enough overall to support a foreign buyer ban, despite higher numbers in some regions.

"In our view, the figures from Statistics NZ confirm that it's not worth going ahead with a blanket ban on foreign buyers across New Zealand," she said.

"The only areas in New Zealand where there is a significant proportion of sales made to people who didn't hold New Zealand citizenships or resident visas are Auckland and Queenstown Lakes with 7.3 per cent and 9.7 per cent of sales respectively."

Although Statistics NZ highlighted the 19 per cent proportion in the Waitemata Board to overseas buyers, Norwell said this was unlikely to significantly impact the overall market.

Statistics NZ said consultation about amendments to the Overseas Investment Act may have been a factor in recent increases in the proportion of transfers to non-New Zealand citizens and residents, noting "the proposed changes could make it more challenging for overseas buyers to purchase residential land in New Zealand".

In the March 2018 quarter there were 40,740 property transfers, including 32,880 home transfers.

Almost four in five of the homes were transferred to at least one New Zealand citizen. The other one in five were transferred to corporate entities, resident-visa holders, and overseas buyers.

The number of home transfers was down 2.4 per cent on the year while the number of property transfers was down 2.8 per cent on the year.

Statistics NZ has taken over the task of publishing the home transfer statistics from Land Information New Zealand.

The organisation began publishing quarterly property transfers and tax residency reports to try and obtain a better picture of the housing market after growing concerns that foreign buyers were pushing up house prices.

Foreign buyers were classed as people who don't hold local citizenship or resident visas.