Rental property is sometimes an excellent investment. There, I've said it, for all those who reckon I'm anti-rentals!

Mention the word "haggling" and most people think of Third World markets or, at best, buying a second-hand car.

Q. I am an 18-year-old male heading into my first year of university. I feel it is time I took my money matters more seriously.

I will be taking a student loan of about $6000 a year, not including my $150-a-week living expense. I do not qualify for a student allowance and, because I am a fulltime student, my earning capacity will be limited to about $100 a week.

As

A record number of homes changed hands in February, defying widespread predictions of a downturn in the residential market.

A growing government workforce is chewing up some of the best and biggest office buildings in Wellington and a shortage of space is driving top office rents up.

The government's pilot plan to assist first-home buyers into their own homes has so far helped 850 families buy houses with mortgages totalling nearly $100 million, according to Kiwibank, which administers the scheme.

Nationally the construction industry is feeling the impact of recent interest rate rises, but South Canterbury builders are not sharing these concerns.

Nelson homeowners are facing an almost 9 percent rate rise after city councillors decided on a list of projects they want progress on.

Three Wellington local authorities have been rated highly for quality of life by a survey of New Zealand's metropolitan cities.

The housing boom has left the average household about $60,000 richer than it was two years ago, with a net worth of $235,329.

North Shore City Council is still planning to compulsorily buy prime beachfront land despite resource consent being given to build on the site.

More than 300 sections had been sold in the Lake Hayes Estate subdivision between Frankton and Arrowtown, developer Mike Coburn said.

An attempt to halt shonky development and bad architecture passing for urban renewal in Auckland City is being launched by Mayor Dick Hubbard with the aid of politicians, planners, developers and architects.

Queenstown continues to be a property hot spot, and with the market having settled down from the frenzy of the past few years, now could be the time to buy.

Falling rents and bad property managers threaten to bring down the grubby end of Auckland's apartment market, creating Hong Kong-style slums.

Residential landlords have offered to regulate their industry by registering themselves, but in return they want police and court help in chasing tenants for money.