ASB Bank increased its mortgage lending book 8% in the six months to December 31, or around 16% over 2005, managing director Hugh Burrett says.

Weekly home loan report: The fixed interest rate loan competition continues unabated, despite one day of no changes during the last week.

Two Auckland mortgage brokers have signed up with LJ Hooker New Zealand financial services as it rolls out its franchise system across the country.

Weekly home loan report: The Reserve Bank of New Zealand unsurprisingly left the official cash rate unchanged last week, but lenders are doing the easing for it by continuing to cut fixed rates amid the heat of competition.

Weekly home loan report: Borrowers begin the year with some hope that interest rates have reached their peak as weak growth data indicated chances are the Reserve Bank will be in a holding pattern until later this year, when some easing may eventuate.

Demand for higher limits on mortgages, more flexibility and borrowing for multiple properties, mainly in the Auckland area, has prompted General Finance to broaden its mortgage offerings.

Weekly home loan report: Floating interest rates moved up in the last week in reaction to the Reserve Bank’s official cash rate rise, while some three-year fixed rates dropped.

Weekly home loan report: Despite the Reserve Bank’s 25-basis-point rate hike on Thursday, lenders have been slow to jump on the bandwagon to push their floating rates higher by the same amount.

Weekly home loan report: Fixed term rates have edged higher still over the last week, even though the expected Reserve Bank official cash rate increase is not due until Thursday.

Weekly home loan report: Continued high inflation expectations and further Reserve Bank rhetoric on the need to slow the domestic economy have anchored expectations for a rate rise next week.

LJ Hooker is introducing a franchise model for financial services in New Zealand, with the first franchisee signed up in Christchurch.

Weekly home loan report: Reserve Bank of New Zealand governor Alan Bollard took another swipe at mortgage lenders and Kiwi borrowers in a speech last week, which re-emphasised the high chance of an official rate hike next month.

Weekly home loan report: Mortgage rates are heading higher in reaction to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s rate rise and hawkish tone last week, and it’s all your fault.

Weekly home loan report: Fixed rate changes slowed down markedly over the last week as the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s monetary policy review nears.

Weekly home loan report: Fixed rate increases numbered into the 20s for one-, two and three-year rates over the last week as inflation concerns dominated economic thoughts.

Weekly home loan report: Fixed rates continued to rise in the past week as more economists forecast a Reserve Bank rate hike in a couple of weeks.