New Zealanders borrowed an additional $374 million in mortgages in December, bringing the total owed on housing to $67.876 billion, according to the latest Reserve Bank figures.

Syndicated property promoter Waltus is still trying to refinance the mortgage on its ill-fated investment in Auckland’s KPMG Centre.

Syndicated property promoter Waltus is still trying to refinance the mortgage on its ill-fated investment in Auckland’s KPMG Centre.

The number of residential building consents slowed in December from November, as is traditional, but was well up on December 2000.

Reserve Bank governor Don Brash left his official cash rate (OCR) unchanged today, as expected, but says the risks on both sides of that decision have increased since his last statement in November.

The latest real estate sales figures confirm the housing market is in the midst of a full-blown recovery.

The market concensus is that Reserve Bank governor Don Brash won’t change his official cash rate (OCR) when he reviews it tomorrow, but beyond that, there’s anything but concensus.

The market concensus is that Reserve Bank governor Don Brash won’t change his official cash rate (OCR) when he reviews it on Wednesday, but beyond that, there’s anything but concensus.

Jenny Ruth test drives the banks' mortgage calculators to find out which is best.

Residential building consents jumped in November to their highest level in two years, providing further evidence of a buoyant housing market.

New Zealanders borrowed an additional $548 million in mortgages in November, bringing the total owed on housing to $67.502 billion, according to the latest Reserve Bank figures.

For the housing and mortgage markets, it’s been a year of fits and starts: by as early as March it looked like a convincing recovery in activity from the depressed 2000 was underway, but then followed a rather fitful winter.

November real estate figures provide conclusive evidence that the Reserve Bank’s interest rate medicine is reviving the housing market.

The level of home ownership in New Zealand has slipped to just two-thirds of the population.

Another housing boom could be on the cards, according to Deutsche Bank chief economist Ulf Schoefisch.

ANZ Bank is making a special effort to attract business from mortgage brokers by offering to pay them $300 if they don’t get an answer on any loan application within 24 hours, as long as that loan is subsequently drawn down.