Bad tenants, landlords listed on new Government website

People will be able to search the names of bad tenants and landlords from July on a Government website, with all Tenancy Tribunal decisions available online.
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BNZ reckons it's the winner

Bank of New Zealand is the clear winner in the mortgage market price war, even though its market share hasn't budged in the last year, according to managing director Peter Thodey.
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More commission cuts likely

ANZ's discussion document proposing to cut upfront commissions paid to mortgage brokers won't be the last.
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Political Regulatory Update August 2007

The Commerce committee met on 9 August to continue hearing submissions, in Wellington, on its inquiry into housing affordability.
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Sallies urge action so Kiwi families can still own their own home

New Zealand’s declining rate of homeownership is a problem, both economically and socially, but there are options available that can reverse this trend and make homeownership a reality for many low and modest income households who are currently priced out of the market.
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Slowing economies impact on home loan rates

The key feature in the home loan rate market during the past week has been Bank of New Zealand’s move to lower its no-frills two and three year rates another 10 points each to 7.45%. The only other bank to move in this period was HSBC which dropped all its fixed year rates for terms of two years or more.
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Key should grow up

Suggestions by John Key that the government is considering imposing a capital gains tax on investment property are 'absolute nonsense,' Finance Minister Michael Cullen said today.
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Rate falls ease

The recent hectic pace of fixed rate decreases slowed in the last week, but this week began with movement in the two-year part of market.
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Welcome home loan scheme extended

The government has widened the scope of its Welcome Home Loan scheme which is designed to help people buy their own homes.
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BNZ tries to start another price war

Well it had to happen – another price war looks like breaking out, and once again it is the Bank of New Zealand which is starting the fight.
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Just one fall in a week of rises

Fixed rates continued to rise in the past week as more economists forecast a Reserve Bank rate hike in a couple of weeks.
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Attractive rates name of the game

More, more and still more – there’s no let-up in the fixed rate decreases.
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Housing Restructuring and Tenancy Matters (Information Matching) Amendment Bill – Passed

During the month Parliament debated and passed the information-matching bill.
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Balanced approach to borrowing recommended

ANZ is continuing to recommend that borrowers take a balanced approach to borrowing although the Reserve Bank is expected to keep interest rates on hold for longer than previously expected.
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Tenancy Tribunal orders available online

Tenancy Tribunal orders are available free of charge on the internet, Courts Minister Rick Barker announced today.
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ACT wants state houses where their supporters can't see them

Green MP Sue Bradford says Act's attack over a $1 million state house being rented for $75 shows they want to ghettoise low-income tenants, rather than compassionately address the housing shortage in Auckland.
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Where to for rates

With little few changes in home loan rates recently much of the focus at the moment is on where rates are heading.
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Economists divided on when to expect rate cuts

Economists are not expecting the Reserve Bank to cut the official cash rate this week, and they have a range of views about when the bank will start to ease monetary policy.
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Otago PIA President highlights changes

Cliff Seque, President of the Otago PIA, outlines the proposal for a house energy rating scheme similar to the star rating on major home appliances and highlights a raft of proposed tax measures.
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John Key on housing affordability

The Leader of the National Party spoke recently to the NZ Contractors' Federation on the impact of the NZ economy on the construction industry.
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Changing tenancy laws

As home ownership becomes less affordable, the private-sector rental market is expanding. About one third of Kiwis now rent and the number of landlords grows almost every day.
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Bollard leaves rates unchanged but talks tough

As expected Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard left his benchmark official cash rate (OCR) unchanged but warned of upside inflation risks and that there is no scope for easing interest rates in the foreseeable future.
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Heatley gains housing portfolio

Whangarei MP Phil Heatley has gained another portfolio for the new Parliamentary term.
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Bollard leaves rates unchanged

Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard has confirmed expectations that he would leave interest rates unchanged and, while he is ruling out the likelihood of a rate cut for 'some time,' he also doesn’t expect to have to raise rates further.
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Kiwibank grows mortgage market share

The government's Kiwibank continues to grow apace with profitability lifting sharply in the December quarter while its share of the mortgage market continues to grow.
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