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.

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

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

As the vitriol builds against property investors it's becoming increasingly clear that there will be many innocent bystanders injured by the mooted changes to tax law.

Mark Keating suggests a way to ensure low-income earners are not losers in tax changes.

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.

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

The Federal Reserve is beefing up its examination of US banks, fearing that profligate lending to commercial property developers could ultimately prove as damaging to the financial system as the subprime mortgage debacle.

A man is facing allegations he lived off the taxpayer in state housing while he was a landlord owning two properties.

I've experienced some rather unsuitable flats. But never have I suffered the indignity of being rejected as "unsuitable" to live in one. Until this year...