A large part of Generation Y might have to wait until they receive an inheritance before they can buy a house, a property commentator says.

An increasing number of Aucklanders are looking at getting 80 per cent-plus mortgages to build homes in the south and west.

Thousands of Kiwis desperate to get on the property ladder are signing up to 30-year mortgages - but many are saddling themselves with a lifetime of debt.

David Hamilton and his fiancee Lyna Pen are in their 20s but hope to be mortgage-free within 10 years.

Banks are handing out mortgages of as much as $10 million to the wealthy in record numbers while first-time homebuyers struggle to get loans.

House prices are up, home ownership is down. We all know the story, but what's really going on in real estate?

Reverse equity mortgages are increasingly tempting to retired Aucklanders who have houses soaring in value, but little cash.

A capital gains tax would reduce the price it is rational for an investor to pay for a property by as much as 23 per cent, Westpac economists say.

The first impression of the Labour Party's "monetary policy upgrade" is that it looks good, writes Brian Fallow, managing to look both conservative and progressive.

Homeowners are rushing to fix their mortgage interest rates after the second cash rate increase in as many months.

Homeowners are bracing for another rise in mortgage interest rates but experts say most are prepared with better spending habits and contingency plans.

Here are some reasons not to embrace the view of economic analyst Jesse Colombo that NZ is hurtling towards crisis.

Auckland's sizzling property market could bring New Zealand's economy crashing down, a global economic expert warns.

PM John Key knows homeowners in the electorally crucial mortgage belts of Auckland are nervous about rising mortgage rates, writes Bernard Hickey.

Homeowners could save more than $90,000 over the life of their mortgages by shopping around, according to an analysis of 95 floating home loans.

Homeowners are being warned to prepare for harder times as the days of low interest rates come to an end.

The impact of the Reserve Bank's curbs on mortgage lending at high loan-to-value ratios (LVRs) on the housing market has been pretty modest so far.

Interest rates are likely to rise - so what should you do with your home loan?

Baches in some parts of the country can command enough rent in one month over summer to cover half the year's mortgage repayments.

Major banks are "stress-testing" mortgage borrowers to ensure they will be able to meet repayments when higher interest rates hit.

The latest deal from a New Zealand bank to lure in new customers with "free" money and zero fees comes with a warning tag from financial experts.

Banks are still finalising how they will deal with the Reserve Bank's exemption for home-building loans.

Rising home loan approvals are another sign that the Australian housing recovery is in full swing, making another cash rate cut unlikely.

Banks are showing more interest in making low-deposit home loans after cutting back hard before Christmas, but it is mainly investors who are taking advantage.

Auckland's average house price rose to a record in December as property values benefited from a lack of supply heading into summer.