The latest housing consents figures contain a few suggestions that the long-awaited slowdown in the housing market may be starting.

The housing boom is far from over, but the latest figures suggest a little less froth.

Tower has reported a significant turn-around in profitability

Mortgage brokers aren’t the only people involved in the housing market to be paid commissions by the banks: all five of the major home lending banks have confirmed they pay in some form people such as real estate agents for referrals for home loans.

Bank of New Zealand’s anti-broker campaign is having a significant impact on banking industry profit margins across the board, says Brian Hayr, senior manager of third party origination at National Bank.

An Australian bank is taking the same path Bank of New Zealand has aggressively embarked on and has decided to stop dealing with mortgage brokers.

The latest housing market statistics show a somewhat contradictory picture of house prices hitting new records at while the number of sales fell sharply and the number of days it takes to sell a house increasing.

Mortgage broking aggregator Plan New Zealand will be aiming to raise the standards of its member brokers as a response to both an expected slowdown in the housing market and to the emergence of cut-price aggregators in Australia.

Umbrella organisation The Mortgage Alliance is in the process of being dissolved after less than two years following management and shareholding changes at its largest member, Mortgage Link.

The prospectus for Mike Pero Mortgages (MPM) provides some fascinating insights into both that business and the mortgage broking industry.

The number of people expecting house prices to rise over the next 12 months dropped significantly during the last quarter, although the number thinking this is a bad time to buy a house held steady at a net 18%.

Bank of New Zealand’s aggressive anti-mortgage broker advertising campaign has clearly stirred up some strong feelings in the broker market, with some going as far as saying it is misleading and dishonest.

KPMG's annual banking survey gives an insight into what is happening in the highly competitive mortgage market.

HSBC is continuing its aggressive counter to Bank of New Zealand’s anti-mortgage broker campaign, although it doesn’t want to say explicitly that this is its intention.

The Mike Pero Mortgages prospectus shows its founder is being handsomely rewarded for creating a successful business way beyond just the purchase price.

Despite continuing expectations of a slowdown, the latest housing consents figures showed them running at their highest level in March for any March month since 1976.