Housing
Auckland high density housing plan 'doesn't make much sense'
Auckland Council expects a quarter of the city's character homes will lose their special heritage status when higher density rules come into force later this year.
Auckland councillor says govt rules restrictive
An Auckland councillor says the government's new rules to intensify housing development give council little room to maneuver.
Chris Darby believes the council will now have to significantly change… Audio
Auckland heritage homes set to lose special status
Plans for high density housing in Auckland could see up to 5000 heritage homes lose their special status making it easier for them to be bulldozed.
The city council is required to boost housing… Audio
Bach bookings get a boost over easter
Bach bookings over Easter were higher than they've been in years, as holiday makers took the opportunity of a long weekend at Orange to get out and about.
One company that hires out baches was 97… Audio
Mortgage rates start to bite property developers
Higher mortgage rates and lower demand is begining to bite property developers.
They are dropping prices and lengthening sunset clauses so buyers can't walk away if there are building delays. Audio
Quarter of AK character homes replaced in intensification
A quarter of homes in Auckland's 'special character areas' could be rezoned for intensification - meaning apartments and townhouses popping up near urban centres to help with the city's housing… Audio
Bill to fix problems and risks of apartment ownership
A new bill seeks to address the problems with buying apartments, such as 'proxy farming,' within the Unit Titles Act. It has the unanimous support of all parties The author of the Private Members… Audio
Residents angry after years of inaction from Kāinga Ora
Couches, blankets and a broken pram are just some of the items that have been dumped in an empty section in the Tauranga suburb of Hairini.
Auckland 'character' houses may be developed for more homes
A quarter of Auckland's character homes are marked to lose their heritage status when higher density rules come into force later this year.
Auckland Council has released draft maps of the areas… Video, Audio
Home buyers increasingly resorting to pooling their resources - bank
As first-time buyers look to break into the property market, more and more people are open to the idea of buying their first home with friends. Audio
Evie Kemp shares her upcycling secrets
Designer Evie Kemp loves to breathe life and colour into old and second hand furniture. She has honed this skill from childhood and she tells Karyn her secrets. Audio
Banks encouraging co-ownership to get on property ladder
As inflation bites and house prices stay stubbornly high, banks are now encouraging less tradition methods of home ownership. Currently, if a median-income household saved 15 percent of their income… Audio
Sloppy builders may be contributing to building inspection delays
Building inspection wait times have shot up for many councils, with some scrambling to reduce them from seven weeks back to the usual three to five days.
Secret council proposal to sell 10 reserves for housing revealed
Under the proposal, five reserves would be sold to Kāinga Ora, three to private developers, and two would become pensioner housing, documents obtained by Local Democracy Reporting suggest.
Golf clubs fear losing public-owned land
Auckland golfers are worried about council plans to use public courses for more public purposes - such as housing, community facilities, public walkways or business use.
The council's draft… Video, Audio
'Up the creek': Builder blasts council over long wait for house inspections
Some builders are threatening to bypass council inspections due to "absurd" delays in getting staff on site.
House price index: Brakes go on housing market
A growing supply of homes, higher interest rates and tighter lending rules are contributing to a slow down in house price growth.
Rotorua's challenge to house homeless and holiday-makers
The border's now open to Australians but some traditional tourist towns have some recovering to do, after a bruising couple of years.
The head of Rotorua's economic development agency fears tourists… Video, Audio
Future tradies lining up to pick up tools
Trade training is booming with thousands more people signing up for apprenticeships since the pandemic began.
House price growth dips, but still not easy for 1st home buyers
A decrease in house prices and an increase in supply has turned the market in favour of buyers.
But with the average house in New Zealand still costing one million dollars it's not easy to get a foot… Audio
