Auckland sees strongest December sales since 2006, Wellington numbers down on November and December 2010 and Manawatu/Wanganui sees a 45% year-on-year sales rise.

National house sales were up 20% in December 2011 on the year earlier, the best December sales figures since 2007.

Auckland has overtaken Central Otago Lakes as the least affordable place to buy a house, according to the latest Massey University home affordability report.

The number of new homes approved in November fell almost 6% and numbers remain close to recent historically low levels, according to Statistics New Zealand.

The Auckland housing market had a strong finish to 2011 with the average selling price up $5,500 on November to $573,071 - the second highest average for the year.

Nationwide property values rose 2.4% over 2011 and are now 3.5% above the 2007 market peak, though the year was also characterised by lower than normal sales volumes.

Last year ended with Auckland property values at their highest ever level, 1.4% above the 2007 market peak. Wellington values struggled to just 0.4% above 2010 and there were mixed results for the rest of the country.

The amount of new listings plunged 35% in December as the property market saw a further tightening of supply, with the shortages most acute in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Property investors can look forward to slow and steady rent and house price rises in 2012, according to two prominent property investment figures.

The average weekly rent for a three-bedroom property in Remuera has risen 25% in the year to November 2011, against a 3% rise nationwide.

Both settled and written sales are at a two-year high, according to the December Harcourts MarketWatch.

The Real Estate Agents Authority (REAA) has announced the appointment of Kevin Lampen-Smith as its new chief executive and registrar.

Two distinct groups of property investors are back in the Auckland market, according to the latest QV residential property index for November.

QV's regional focus sees investors and first time buyers active and driving prices up in Auckland, though it's a mixed picture of ups and downs across the rest of the county.

North Shore City has overtaken Wellington and the Hutt Valley as the region with the most investor buying activity, according to the latest BNZ-REINZ Residential Market Survey.

Interest in the Auckland housing market surged in November with a sharp increase in sales numbers and average prices hitting a new November high, according to Barfoot & Thompson.