New Zealand is at a turning point in finding a solution to its housing crisis, and the next steps will be critical, economist Shamubeel Eaqub says.

Data released today by the Real Estate Institute of NZ ("REINZ") shows there were 598 more lifestyle property sales (+40.5%) for the three months ended September 2015 than for the three months ended September 2014.

Data released today by the Real Estate Institute of NZ ("REINZ") shows there were 10 fewer farm sales (-2.9%) for the three months ended September 2015 than for the three months ended September 2014.

Residential property investors are confident, have reduced debt ratios and are looking to buy more properties - but see government intervention as their biggest risk, according to the 2015 ANZ Property Investment Survey.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s latest Housing and Construction Quarterly report finds that the Christchurch housing market is showing signs of increased stability.

Renters were almost twice as likely to report a damp house problem as home owners in 2014, Statistics New Zealand said today. Just under half of renters reported they had a problem with dampness or mould, compared with around one-quarter of home-owners.

A new report released by Nielsen today has found that New Zealanders are using up to five different tools in their research for property as competition heats up across the country.

Property Council’s Residential Development Summit will explore housing unaffordability in Auckland by looking at its key causes.

The latest monthly QV House Price Index shows that nationwide residential property values for September have increased 12.6% over the past year which is the fastest rate since October 2007. Values rose 4.2% over the past three months and are now 30.9% above the previous market peak of late 2007.

The latest data from Statistics New Zealand showing the annual number of building consents in Auckland at an eight-year high have been welcomed today by Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith.

The value of building consents reached an all-time high in August 2015, boosted by planned nonresidential work in Christchurch, Statistics New Zealand said today.

The number of property listings increases as the weather warms up. Homes look more appealing in warm sunshine but EECA ENERGYWISE advises putting some thought into how houses will perform in the cold depths of winter.

The saying "What a difference a year makes" definitely rings true in many areas of the country in terms of house sale volumes. In the three months from June to August this year compared to the same three months in 2014, sales volumes have increased in almost all areas of New Zealand.

"Despite huge asking prices, buying a house in Auckland for many people is now looking more attractive than renting given soaring rents and falling interest rates," says Geoff Barnett, National Manager of Century 21 New Zealand.

Data released today by the Real Estate Institute of NZ ("REINZ") shows there were 20 fewer farm sales (-4.9%) for the three months ended August 2015 than for the three months ended August 2014.

Khandallah, Newlands and Island Bay are the next communities scheduled to discuss greater housing choice and supply following today’s Transport and Urban Development decision.

Provisional residential data for the Northern Region in August, from Harcourts, New Zealand’s largest real estate group, shows average sale prices continuing to rise, up 25% on the same period in 2014, to $819,955.

Over $4 billion worth of building work was put in place in the June 2015 quarter, up nearly 8 percent on the June 2014 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today.

The Community Housing Trust is now in full swing with civil works at its 44 lot site in Shotover Country. The roads and services are expected to be completed by Christmas - with this part of the project costing $2m and supported by a loan from Community Trust of Southland.

Building consent data released by Statistics New Zealand show 1116 homes were consented in Auckland in July, the first time in a decade that the monthly total has been over 1000, Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith noted today.

There were 2,824 new dwellings consented nationally in July 2015, up 24 percent compared with July 2014, Statistics New Zealand said today.

Eleven new Special Housing Areas (SHAs) that will provide up to 1600 new homes across Auckland were announced today by Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith and Mayor Len Brown.

A milestone in the first phase of the long-term plans of the Tāmaki Redevelopment Company (TRC) was reached today with Housing New Zealand Minister Bill English and Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith opening the first completed homes as part of the Fenchurch neighbourhood regeneration

One Hundred of the best homes in New Zealand have been named as Gold Reserve Finalists in the country’s premier residential building awards, the Registered Master Builders 2015 House of the Year.

The Reserve Bank is continuing to blame rental property owners for Auckland's rising house prices. They say that investor activity has increased from 33% in 2013 to 41% in 2015.

A big jump in the lower quartile selling price of homes in south Auckland over the last two months more than wiped out the benefits of falling mortgage interest rates for first home buyer households, according to the interest.co.nz Home Loan Affordability Report for July.

The number of first home buyers accessing Government support for making a deposit on a house has doubled since the Government’s new KiwiSaver HomeStart package took effect on 1 April this year, Building and Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith said in releasing the first quarterly report today.

The Nelson Bays franchise of Jennian Homes has been recognised as building one of the top 100 homes in the national 2015 Registered Master Builders House of the Year Awards.

Auckland Council has used the new Development Capacity Model to reveal how many houses could be built under the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP).

REINZ, the most up to date source of real estate data in New Zealand, announced today that there were 8,121 dwelling sales in July 2015, up 37.8% on July 2014 and 9.4% compared to June 2015.