A major benefit to Wizard Home Loans from its new owner, GE Money, is that it can now offer far more competitive fixed interest rates.

Westpac and Bank of New Zealand's profitability doesn't appear to be suffering unduly as a result of last year's mortgage rate wars.

As well as reaching a key milestone in announcing its maiden profit, Kiwibank is continuing to increase its share of the mortgage market, although its book is still relatively tiny.

ANZ/National Bank lost a smidgeon in market share of the mortgage market in the December quarter but its mortgage book is still growing strongly

The latest Quotable Value figures confirm that while the housing market remains strong, the rate of growth is slowing.

New Zealand Finance Holdings will buy Approved Mortgage Brokers for $1.2 million from April 1.

ASB Bank’s latest survey of housing confidence is likely to send shivers up spines at the Reserve Bank.

ASB Bank’s latest survey of housing confidence is likely to send shivers up spines at the Reserve Bank.

Bank of New Zealand’s price war last year seems to have paid off for it in terms of winning market share, although ASB Bank continues to be the major winner in the mortgage market.

Mortgage Express, the joint venture between Perpetual Trust and the Harcourts real estate agency chain, has appointed its first business development manager.

As expected, Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard has left interest rates unchanged, although the wording of his statement wasn’t as hawkish as had been expected

Despite a raft of stronger-than-expected data last week, economists still don’t expect Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard will raise interest rates when he reviews the official cash rate (OCR) on Thursday.

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.