August '12 Issue

The judges from hit TV3 series The Block give us their best renovation tips for all budgets. Plus, project managing your own renovations and an apartment renovation with incredible returns. Read about investors who rent rooms in their own homes and get all the latest statistics for rents and prices in your area.
01-08-2012 more >>

Get set for do-upper boom

Sales of houses described as "a renovator's dream" look set for a boost: The four couples chosen for the first season of The Block NZ have been named.
27-06-2012 more >>

Buyers want any colour, so long as it's green

Eco-friendliness, rather than appearance, is now top of the wishlist for home buyers, according to a survey.
27-06-2012 more >>

Time to stop bubble babble

Hubble and trouble, is there really a housing bubble? If I had my way, the term "housing bubble" would be expunged from the Kiwi lexicon says Philip Macalister.
26-06-2012 more >>

Reform bill a good move: Association

An organisation set up to fight for the rights of the owners of leaky homes says the Consumer Law Reform Bill is a welcome step for property investors and home buyers.
26-06-2012 more >>

'Buyers' pack' will help investors

A “buyers’ pack” offered to would-be property purchasers would speed things up for investors, says the Auckland Property Investors Association president, David Whitburn.
26-06-2012 more >>

Number of private sales drops slightly: Trade Me

The number of private sales listed on Trade Me has declined slightly on this time last year.
25-06-2012 more >>

Fix mortgages now: Westpac

Westpac chief economist Dominick Stephens says there are only “limited downsides” to fixing a mortgage now.
25-06-2012 more >>

Flow of migrating Kiwis eases

Migration out of New Zealand looks to have started to slow but BNZ chief economist Tony Alexander says it’s too soon to gauge its impact on house prices yet.
22-06-2012 more >>

Signs point up for property prices: ANZ

Mortgage approvals were worth almost 50% more in the May 2012 quarter than they were a year earlier, according to ANZ’s property focus.
22-06-2012 more >>

Kiwibank best for first-timers: Report

KiwiBank has been given the First-Home Buyer Award from financial research and ratings group CANSTAR for the second year in a row.
21-06-2012 more >>

Bank discounts not a right: Ombudsman

Homeowners are being reminded banks are not required to cut them a deal.
20-06-2012 more >>

More sales but prices stagnant in provinces

Almost 25 per cent more properties sold in May this year compared to the same time a year ago, data from realestate.co.nz shows.
20-06-2012 more >>

No surprise property finding favour

It’s not hard to see why investors are returning to the property market.
19-06-2012 more >>

Residential investment not best bet: Hawes

Investors are taking too myopic a view if they think now is a good time to buy residential property, says adviser Martin Hawes.
19-06-2012 more >>

Heritage properties face 500% increase in insurance bills

Owners of heritage buildings are being warned they may find it hard to get insurance - and if they do, it will come with a high pricetag.
18-06-2012 more >>

Prices set to rise further: Newland

Property prices are likely to rise considerably further in New Zealand's main centres, says property investment specialist Olly Newland.
18-06-2012 more >>

Auckland rent rises outstrip rest of country

Most Auckland landlords are increasing the rents they charge much more quickly than the rest of New Zealand, according to the latest Crockers Auckland rental price table.
15-06-2012 more >>

More sales? Don't blame the interest rates: Harcourts

Increased real estate sales are being driven by more than just low interest rates, says Harcourts chief executive Hayden Duncan.
15-06-2012 more >>

It's a seller's market: Survey

New Zealand’s real estate market appears to be favouring sellers for the first time in years, according to the latest BNZ/REINZ residential market survey.
15-06-2012 more >>

Bollard keeps rates on hold; OCR cut an outside chance

Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard's latest monetary policy statement suggests mortgage rates aren't going up any time soon although the likelihood they might fall further remains an outside chance.
14-06-2012 more >>

No dispute over mortgagee figures: Helm

Reports that Terralink's data on increasing mortgagee sales is at odds with the information from realestate.co.nz are inaccurate, says realestate.co.nz chief executive Alistair Helm.
13-06-2012 more >>

Property investment safe bet with so many MPs on side

If investing in property is such a bad thing, you have to wonder why so many of our politicians are landlords.
12-06-2012 more >>

Buyers get heavy discount at mortgagee sales

Properties going under the hammer at mortgagee sales are selling for about 25% below their market value.
12-06-2012 more >>

REINZ May 2012 regional review

Auckland see an almost 30% surge in sales and a new all time price high, sales up in Wellington but prices slip and Taranaki sees strongest sales rise for five years.
12-06-2012 more >>