Contrary to some media headlines, Kieran Trass of Hybrid Consulting doesn’t think a housing market crash is on the cards.

Bank of New Zealand chief economist Tony Alexander is still recommending that borrowers fix for two years, even though this rate has jumped since his bank called a halt to last year’s mortgages price war.

A declining number of house sales and fierce competition in the mortgage market in Australia is likely to lead to consolidation of the mortgage broking industry

Superbank lost a net $11.4 million in the year ended September, down from $12.8 million the previous year, but continues to grow its homeloans book at a fast clip, passing the $100 million mark about three weeks ago.

Macquarie Bank subsidiary Macquarie Investment Management New Zelaand has acquired a 49% stake in Brook Asset Management for an undisclosed sum.

While ANZ Bank in New Zealand is still only talking about changing the way it pays mortgage brokers, its Australian parent has already moved to cut brokerage rates from March 1 next year.

ASB Bank was again the biggest winner in the September quarter in the war for market share of the mortgage market, although the pace of its gains is slowing.

In its latest move to improve industry standards, the New Zealand Mortgage Brokers Association is introducing a new "Personal Disclosure Statement" which all its members must complete and provide a copy to all clients from February 1.

ANZ National Bank has assured the New Zealand Mortgage Brokers Association (NZMBA) that it doesn’t intend to make any changes to the way it remunerates mortgage brokers before the new year and that it will consult with "industry stakeholders" before making any changes.

Economists expect Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard will leave interest rates unchanged when he releases his latest monetary policy statement on Thursday.

Most of the noise and froth in the mortgage market at the moment is around deeply discounted two-year fixed rate but is accepting that rate at the moment the best option for consumers?

The mostly Australia-based non-bank lenders are starting to gain traction in the New Zealand market as the recent rash of issues of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) shows.

The government-owned Kiwibank has chosen not to participate in the pricing war in the home loans market which has seen the major banks slash their profit margins to the bone.

If Westpac’s economists are right, those interested in what’s happening to house prices ought to be keeping a close eye on the New Zealand dollar.

Figures on Superbank’s progress revealed by its Australian parent St George Bank at a press conference in Sydney last week suggest a definite appetite for alternatives to the main stream banks.

ASB Bank’s latest survey of housing confidence suggests that while the housing market is slowing, steep declines in house prices are unlikely.