Q. In all the discussions in your column on investment in residential property, no one has really assessed the effect of inflation on property prices.

I am in a somewhat unique position to do this, through living in the same house for some 36 years, in what is best described as a "leafy outer Auckland suburb".

I bought the house in 1968 for $19,000 - an apparent ba

Are investors rational? Common sense suggests the answer is: not always. There are market bubbles and crashes, we try to avoid risk, we forget, we remember creatively, and we fall in love with certain stocks.

Everyone knows the old rule about dumping your losers and letting your winners run. But many active share traders lose their bank within a year. Why is it so hard to be logical?

It was only a matter of time before Inland Revenue Department turned its attentions to property speculators in Queenstown and Wanaka, the Institute of Chartered Accountants New Zealand (Icanz) says.

Colliers International has set up a specialist city "fringe team" in response to the rapid expansion and demand for commercial property in Auckland suburban areas.

Q. My company was the successful tenderer for the construction of a new multi-level development in Auckland. Our tender was accepted three months ago, and a formal written contract was then supposed to be entered into setting out all the terms of the contract.

However, we have not been provided with a draft contract to look at yet, and construction has not yet started. The develo

Bayleys Real Estate in Auckland has raised $18.1 million from investors for syndicate-style ownership schemes which have $32.7 million worth of real estate, according to a senior executive.

Kiwi Income Property Trust became a billion-dollar entity yesterday with its $44 million purchase of the Wellington landmark office tower Unisys House.

Q. Last October, the IRD warned investors to check out the tax implications before buying real estate property purely to sell it on for a quick profit. I realise that if I buy property which I hope to resell at a profit in the short term, the profit will be taxable.

What if I buy one or more properties for long-term rental purposes and occasionally buy a property for a quick sa

The economy expanded less than forecasters expected in the December quarter, lessening the chances that the Reserve Bank will raise interest rates next month.

Tenants and employees will be under pressure to authorise checks on whether they have a criminal record, a new private data collection company has confirmed.

Around 5 per cent of NZ-based retail managed funds is tied up in fixed income funds. Income assets form an integral part of any well-diversified investment portfolio.

Equity markets have experienced strong growth in the past 12 months. While this positive performance has encouraged many investors back into the New Zealand and international markets, many investors still remained sidelined due to a lingering lack of confidence in shares.

Queenstown's booming property market moved too quickly for the Education Ministry, which was forced to sell property through a slow legal process, Education Ministry Otago Southland manager Kathryn Palmer said.

Mortgage funds have proven to be particularly popular over the last few years. Investors have shied away from growth assets in favour of income, largely due to the poor performance of equities. However, there are a number of factors influencing the performance of these funds that many investors may not have considered.

Mike Pero Mortgages is looking to raise between $7 million and $10 million in a float on the New Zealand Exchange next month.