Q. I feel there must be others out there like us, who have woken up to the fact that, while they earn reasonable money, they can't afford the $350,000 plus required to buy a freestanding house in central Auckland, with the prospect of having children.

For the first time in years, the monthly total of housing consents has fallen below the number granted in the same month a year earlier.

The Reserve Bank is expected to hold interest rates steady this week, with some picking a move up next year.

Real estate agent Harcourts clinched a record $1 billion in property sales in July - usually the quietest month of the year.

House prices rise for 8th consecutive quarter; Nelson reaches new records soaring more than 40%

This Act, which came into effect in February 2002, extends property sharing principles to apply on death, as well as the breakdown of a relationship.

Now that we have some idea of what the government plans to do with our retirement funds, can investors benefit from this information?

Work could begin this summer on a massive residential and commercial village in Queenstown, expected to be worth more than $1 billion once completed.

One of the biggest legal documents many people ever get to sign is the sales and purchase agreement for their home.

Housing Minister, Steve Maharey, is offering residential landlords a comprehensive package of new Government initiatives to help them reduce their business risk when it comes to managing relationships with their tenants.

Australian investors are increasingly looking at New Zealand to satisfy their demand for real estate investment, global real estate consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle says.

The housing market remained remarkably buoyant in July, usually a slow month, with strong volumes and the median house price notching up a new record, the latest Real Estate Institute sales figures show.

Coastal property prices are spiralling out of control. Jonathan Milne reports on the boom and where it will hit next... Bay of Islands, Whangarei, Orewa, Waiheke, Omaka, the entire Coromandel, Mt Maunganui, Tauranga, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, the Kapiti Coast, Nelson, Banks Peninsula, the Catlins - such property is out of reach for most New Zealanders. So is New Zealand running out of coastline? Already enterprising developers are churning out assembly-line canal townships to create more of the valuable commodity. Pauanui was the first canal resort, and the first residents moved into nearby Whitianga Waterways this year. Matakana Island in the Bay of Plenty, and Ruakaka in Northland, will be next to boast exclusive canal towns.

Q. I do indeed enjoy reading your column and gaining the subtle insights into how we all need to look beneath the surface when we make important financial decisions.

Floating term mortgage interest rates have eased across the board, while fixed rates firmed in the past month.

The investment policy for the multi-billion dollar New Zealand Superannuation Fund was prematurely revealed yesterday by a website slip-up.