Critics say our obsession with property is draining money away from real businesses, which create jobs and make New Zealand richer.

Property investors have warned that rents could go up by $34 a week if the Govt scraps landlords' depreciation claims on housing, but the Government says they are wrong.

Inner-city apartments can be a great investment if you do your homework.

Pat Baker, a $10 million landlady and grandmother, is bristling about being blamed for wrecking the economy.

The number of new properties on the market surged in February but with buyers "cagey", the number of unsold houses has ballooned.

New Zealand home affordability improved slightly in January after a fall in median house prices more than offset a small increase in fixed mortgage rates.

The dream of first home ownership will be made easier by Prime Minister John Key's likely tax reforms, economists said today.

The status quo for property investors cannot be sustained, Tax Working Group member John Shewan says.

The vice-president of the Property Investors Federation is relieved that most housing tax options were ruled out in Prime Minister John Key's speech yesterday, but he is wary of what is to come.

John Key is expected to target tax breaks for landlords in his first parliamentary speech of the year setting out the Government's plans.

Finding a tenant is not alway the best course when caught with a property in a slow market.

There is still 18 months to go - but sharp homeowners are already queuing up to rent out their properties during the Rugby World Cup.

There is a bill before Parliament to amend the Residential Tenancies Act.

Residential landlords who are retired could be hit hardest if tax changes proposed this week are adopted.

A man who lived in a state house while he rented out two properties of his own has been sentenced for defrauding the taxpayer.

In what could be a boost for tenants, landlords are reporting an increase in the number of vacant rental properties.