Non-bank lenders are set to take a bigger chunk of the mortgage market this year as tough competition gets even tougher.

The Reserve Bank is due to review its Official Cash Rate on Wednesday, but opinions are divided on whether there'll be an increase.

The majority of lending institutions announced an increase in their one year fixed interest rates in the month to January 10 and significant upward movement was recorded for two and three year fixed interest rates.

Auckland's stable, Wellington's dipped and Christchurch is stable. That's the word from the latest market survey by Massey University.

Real Estate Institute figures for last month show improved house prices nationwide, but a different story region by region.

AMP Banking in New Zealand won't be following its Aussie namesake and trying to spark a price war, but you can still expect a range of new services early next year.

1999 was the year that mortgage customers were really given choice.

The change of government could move property investors towards higher value rental housng, says the Real Estate Institute, but sales prices and volumes are unlikely to take off.

There's been a sharp rise in the number of people expecting higher interest rates in the next 12 months, but this isn't affecting housing confidence generally.

Another surge in building activity in Tauranga and Auckland may have a dampening effect on those regions in the near future. Meanwhile, Wellington has shown up as the least confident region in ASB Bank's latest housing survey.

The National Bank has quietly put its floating mortgage rate up from 6.50 per cent to 7.25 per cent, relinquishing the moral high ground it claimed in October as the only trading bank to hold its rates low. BNZ has also announced an increase.

Homeowners with floating rate loans have even less excuse to leave their money sitting idle, as another major lender launches a redraw facility.

It's the Anderton factor. Just how much pull the Alliance leader has in the Coalition Government is one of the key things financial markets are watching for to determine the effects on the economy and interest rates.

The case of a woman who had a possible mortgagee sale sprung on her because of her ex-partner's debts has prompted the Banking Ombudsman to call for changes in consumer credit law.

With the election looming at the end of the week, some reshuffling by a couple of banks has been the only fallout so far from higher official interest rates.