Luxury homes, including those in provincial towns, are realising record prices in the New Zealand property market.

Auckland City Council says it cannot risk any more ratepayer money on the proposed $3 billion to $4 billion eastern highway project.

Olympic champ BARBARA KENDALL gets help from NZX's Dan Dividend

The property market will remain strong but vendors will have to be flexible on prices, real estate agency Barfoot & Thompson predicts.

Investing and saving money may appear to be all about numbers, but they're often about fashion as well. And, like clothing fashions, investment fashions go in cycles.

Q. I have been following with interest the debate between investment property versus alternative investments, particularly shares.

Low income, crowded housing and unnecessary fear of tuberculosis have been cited as reasons for the increase in cases of the disease among Pacific islanders in Auckland.

The Government is on the verge of ditching the concept of customary title as it attempts to win public support for its foreshore and seabed proposals.

While the debate on whether it is appropriate for mortgage brokers to promote their services as "free" to their customers has flared recently in New Zealand, it appears the Australian industry is about to decide such claims aren’t kosher.

Real estate agents are being told to make careful background checks on prospective property buyers after a couple signed up for two Mt Maunganui homes worth nearly $4 million with no apparent way of paying.

The New Zealand Property Investors Federation says it is vital that landlords are able to do credit checks on potential tenants.

Statement by Grant Morgan, spokesperson for RAM - Residents Action Movement. (2) Interviews with 15 RAM supporters from Whangaparaoa, Glenfield, Takapuna, Birkdale, Grafton, Avondale, Ellerslie, Penrose, Mangere Bridge, East Tamaki, Manukau and Papakura.

SECOND REPORT
"RAM is a diverse bunch of grassroots people of all ages and many different political views, religious beliefs and ethnic backgrounds," says Grant Morgan, spokesperson of the Residents Action Movement.

"The thing that binds RAM together is our united vision of what needs to be done on the Auckland Regional Council."

To illustrate this "united vision

A $20 million spa resort has won resource consent and will be developed on 1.3ha of former citrus orchard land next to Pauanui's waterways.

Hundreds of West Coast leaseholders facing big rent increases have been given almost no chance of freeholding their Maori-owned sections.

Ongoing confidence in Southland property demonstrated by both residents and investors saw Harcourts' Invercargill and Gore offices enjoy their most successful month ever in February.