House prices are likely to rise for the next three years, says BNZ chief economist Tony Alexander.

Supply shortages are likely to only get worse, according to the latest BNZ/REINZ survey.

The number of properties available for sale in Auckland and Christchurch is down 16.7% and 21.7% respectively on the same time last year, Harcourts says in its latest MarketWatch report.

BNZ chief economist Tony Alexander has proposed some radical solutions to the housing affordability problems but says the likelihood of them being implemented is not strong.

The Reserve Bank holds rates, worries about house prices and the exchange rate and still considers its new tools.

The number of houses sold in May was 7.5% up on the same time last year but sellers are still not being tempted into the market in numbers great enough to ease the supply shortages, the latest Real Estate Institute figures show.

New Zealanders’ fear of urban sprawl is misplaced, says a new report into New Zealand’s lack of housing affordability.

Interest-rate rises are looming, with some pundits picking floating rates to be at 7 per cent by the end of next year.

Auckland house prices were steady through May, Barfoot and Thompson says.

Building work increased by its biggest margin in 10 years in the March quarter, data from Statistics NZ shows.

Just 29% of people are unhappy about rising house prices, the latest BNZ confidence survey shows.

Reserve Bank governor Graeme Wheeler is so worried about what a house price correction could do to the stability of the banking system that loan-to-value restrictions may be only days away, BNZ says.

Buyers are as keen as ever to purchase properties, the latest Realestate.co.nz report says, but there still aren’t enough listings available to satisfy demand.

Government funds may be fuelling the increase in house prices, via the country’s KiwiSaver accounts.

New Zealand’s property market gained further momentum last month on the bank of low interest rates, ANZ says.

The number of building consents issued in April rose across most parts of the country last month, compared to the year before, Statistics New Zealand said.