New Zealand housing confidence is still upbeat even if it's somewhat tarnished, according to ASB economists.

The steadying of the housing market has dropped off and is now at its "least convincing" since June last year, according to the Mike Pero Mortgages/Infometrics Property Cycle Indicator.

Mortgagee sales figures tend to hog the headlines but only a small percentage of loans gone bad ever get to that stage.

House sales fell close to 20-year lows last month, as uncertainty about property tax changes and ongoing fragility in the economic recovery continued to weigh on the market, according to Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) figures.

With sales the lowest in 20 years, where has been the hardest hit? Find out what parts of the country have fared better than others in terms of sales and price.

Falling New Zealand house sale volumes and prices in January may indicate a domestic economy that's struggling to maintain momentum, according to economists.

The first QV statistics for 2010 show one thing is certain this year - uncertainty remains. Find out what's happening in the main residential areas below.

It is still too early to gauge whether recommendations forwarded by the Tax Working Group are robust enough to be implemented by the government, according to the Property Institute of New Zealand (PINZ).

Auckland house prices slid 8.6% last month amid an ongoing decline in sales, even as more properties are put on the market.

Listed commercial property will be hurt by proposed tax changes, both in terms of returns for current investors and the ability to attract overseas money.

The revival in residential construction stalled last month in what was a tough December for house vendors, though non-residential building perked up to end the year flat.

The housing market is showing signs of flattening, after rebounding in the middle of last year, according to ANZ's latest property gauges.

Residential property investors face a double-whammy under proposals unveiled today by the Tax Working Group which could raise $2 billion from a sector currently costing taxpayers $150 million a year.

The New Zealand Property Investors' Federation (NZPIF) is concerned about the high level of misinformation around taxation of rental property and the perceived tax benefits property investors have.

The Inland Revenue is sticking with its controversial views on depreciation of residential rental property - but not winning a lot of support.

House prices rose in 11 of the 12 regions throughout the country in December last year. Find out what else is happening in the main areas.