A two level, freehold building sold at auction has returned the lowest yield on record for an investment sale by Colliers International of 2.96%.

Changes to New Zealand’s tenancy laws requiring all tenanted properties to have smoke alarms and to be insulated passed unanimously through the committee stages of Parliament today.

"The Metropolitan Urban Limit and the Rural Urban Boundary are barriers that were introduced to prevent sprawl. Unfortunately, manipulating market behaviour through highly interventionist policies has resulted in the perverse effect of land supply being starved over the years."

Data released today by the Real Estate Institute of NZ ("REINZ") shows there were 436 more lifestyle property sales (+22.5%) for the three months ended April 2016 than for the three months ended April 2015.

Kiwi Property advises that its offer to acquire 100% of The Base shopping centre at Te Rapa, Hamilton, has not been accepted and that its investment in The Base will therefore proceed by way of a 50:50 joint venture with Waikato-Tainui.

The first homes in the Ormiston Town Centre development are now complete.

A Government Bill to make homes warmer, drier and safer for New Zealanders who live in rental properties has passed its second reading in Parliament by 107 to 14.

A Bill passed by Parliament today by 120 to 1 requiring the upgrade of older buildings will save hundreds of lives in future earthquakes, Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

The Government’s emergency housing announcement is the inevitable consequence of National’s failure to address the housing crisis and its stubborn determination to sell-off state houses instead of building more, Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford says.

The Auckland Property Investors Association (APIA)says that rental property owners are being unfairly singled out by Labour’s Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill, which has passed its first reading in the House.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today launched the Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge, which is tasked with conducting research to develop better housing and urban environments for New Zealanders in the 21st century.

The number of written residential property sales in Auckland and Northland last was up 6.5% on April 2015, according to provisional results by Harcourts, New Zealand largest real estate group.

Commentators are tripping over themselves to explain the causes of the Auckland housing crisis - but they are avoiding the patently obvious, says New Zealand First.

432 first home buyers in Palmerston North have been helped in the first year of the Government’s HomeStart scheme.

An innovative New Zealand company, The Ownery Limited, is set to offer a new way for Kiwis to build up a stake in the housing market. Savers can effectively become part owners of carefully selected Auckland houses and get a foot on the property ladder starting with as little as $500.

Property Institute of New Zealand Chief Executive, Ashley Church, is urging the Government to consider options other than a land tax if figures to be released over the next few days show that foreign property investors are affecting the Auckland Property market.

Construction is complete, or near complete, on 19 brand new Housing New Zealand homes that have been built across three Mt Roskill sites and will house tenants in the coming weeks.

An independent market research survey of residential renters in Queenstown and Wanaka was conducted by the local Housing Trust last month - with important findings for the community.

John Key should be taking action to crack down on speculation in our overheated housing market, instead of random musings on land tax, Labour Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford said.

Turning the first sod to mark construction for the second stage of Alexandra Park’s significant urban village development on Green Lane West will take place at 4.30pm on Thursday, 28 April.

Prime Minister John Key told TV One’s Q+A programme that the government could use a land tax to restrict foreign investment in residential housing under any re-negotiated free trade agreement with China.

An iwi-led housing project in Christchurch has been lauded today by the Minister for Māori Development as another string to the bow of positive initiatives being driven by Te Rūnanga o Ngai Tahu for whānau in their takiwā.

Housing became substantially less affordable for first home buyers in Auckland last month, as a big jump in the region's lower quartile selling price more than offset falls in mortgage interest rates and increases in household income.

Law firms are struggling to keep up with the booming commercial property market, with signs of skill shortages emerging, a recruitment specialist says.

Data released today by the Real Estate Institute of NZ ("REINZ") shows there were 424 more lifestyle property sales (+24.8%) for the three months ended March 2016 than for the three months ended March 2015.

Data released today by the Real Estate Institute of NZ ("REINZ") shows there were 42 fewer farm sales (-9.9%) for the three months ended March 2016 than for the three months ended March 2015.

Investors now have the opportunity to own an interest in the eagerly anticipated Cider Building in Ponsonby, Auckland - which is anchored by a 20-year lease to General Distributors - with additional tenanted commercial space and street level retail.

New data shows that homeownership rates have fallen 3 per cent since National came to office despite the number of private rental properties rising by 83,600, Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford says.

"The latest Quotable Value statistics showing Auckland house values down 0.2% in the past three months are entirely predictable given Government and Reserve Bank restrictions which came into effect late last year, says Century 21 New Zealand National Manager Geoff Barnett.

The latest monthly QV House Price Index shows that nationwide residential property values for March have increased 11.4% over the past year. Values rose slightly by 0.2% over the past three months and are now 35% above the previous market peak of late 2007.