Floating mortgage rates have breached eight per cent again, with the BNZ increasing its rate from 7.6 per cent to 8.1 per cent today.

A reported pick-up in the Auckland residential property market has been confirmed by figures for February, while the national median house price is also higher.

A relaunch of Flexiloan is already reaping results for financial services company Equitable.

The Reserve Bank increased the OCR this morning by 50 points to 5.75 per cent in a widely anticipated move.

There's a lot more room in the market for no-frills mortgage products, according to one lender.

Next Wednesday's OCR review by the Reserve Bank, which is widely expected to increase the rate, is likely to drive short-term mortgage rates up still further. Meanwhile, longer-term rates are on the wane.

Confidence in residential housing is down, but ASB Bank Economist Rozanna Wozniak thinks it's an over-reaction.

New twists on old loans look set to continue, as new mortgage lending volumes appear to have plateaued.

Good Returns talks to Rob Tucker, chairman of the New Zealand Mortgage Brokers Assocation, about the industry's rising popularity.

The Advertising Standards Complaints Board has upheld a complaint that a radio ad about mortgage services was misleading.

GlobalPlus Home Loan comes with a built-in air points deal.

ASB Bank is "going against the tide", launching a low priced home loan called Economiser.

Guardian Trust and Cairns Lockie are the latest mortgage lenders to lift their floating rates.

It's no surprise that mortgage rates were on the rise last month, says the Real Estate Institute

What's up with the housing market at the moment? "Ouch" would probably be the best way to describe it, says BNZ's Chief Economist.
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Good Returns rounds up the recent mortgage rate rises and takes a look at some of the key influences on rates.