At least a quarter of those affected by last week's devastating floods have no insurance and no way of rebuilding their lives, the Insurance Council says.

Housing statistics showing a $2000 reduction in the national median last month were yesterday attributed to a slow spell and more lower-priced sales.

QUEENSTOWN - A former hotelier and casino-owner in the US is planning an exclusive luxury lodge at Gibbston Valley, complete with a salmon-stocked pond for anglers.

Q. I own some commercial premises with three long-term tenants. In the past, separate rates bills went directly to each of my tenants, who paid them without any involvement from me. Now I receive one bill - in my name - for all three. This is inconvenient, especially when the tenants are responsible for the rates anyway under their leases. Is there anything I can do about this?

Number of properties worth more than $600,000 has fallen; Real Estate Institute says gloomy predictions may be to blame

Chances are if you're a street in Auckland's central business district, it's only a matter of time before you get a multi-million dollar overhaul.

If you're withholding your regional rates payments, and have a mortgage, your bank could be making the payment on your behalf sooner than you think.

Nelson's property boom has suffered a sudden slowdown as the region's market starts to cool.

Q. A visit to a country town takeaway provided me with a copy of your column in the Herald dated August 16, 2003, where one of your readers referred to the insurance issue affecting intending home buyers.

Residents opposing a marae at Te Atatu Peninsula are taking their fight to the Environment Court.

Port Nelson is taking legal action against three property developers, seeking to force them to adopt strict noise insulation standards in new apartments on Wakefield Quay.

Wellington City Council is warning home owners to keep an eye on cliff faces on their properties after a landslide destroyed a Karaka Bay Rd house.

The big news on the home loan front this week has been the action in the two-year rate market.

"Exorbitant" New Plymouth house prices are causing headaches for Transit New Zealand and the residents whose homes will be bulldozed to make way for the Bell Block bypass.

State homes in Glen Innes are being fitted with connections for Sky TV and broadband internet services.

Builder Ray Duncan learned to check out clients the hard way.