Auckland consistently ranks highly in lists of the world's best cities but is never number one. So what would it take to turn Auckland into a first-class city?

Indian-born Hema Puthran has lived the quarter-acre Kiwi dream but chose to downsize for the convenience of an inner-city apartment.

When Noel Oelofsen emigrated from South Africa he planned to buy his own house to give his family financial security.

Our desire to have our own piece of land is a key part of our culture. It just isn't realistic, though, writes Gareth Kiernan.

By not allowing "density done well" in our inner suburbs, we're all paying more for housing, and Aucklanders are forced to live in houses bigger than they need, writes Sudhvir Singh.

Auckland Council contacts police over claims homeowner, whose house was sold by mortgagee sale today, has been paying rates to unregistered Maori authority.

The culture around renting needs to change. Renters should be able to decorate their dwellings to suit their taste, writes Angela Maynard.

Even in department stores throughout Europe, it is hard to escape Auckland. That is because of the widespread presence of a Dutch clothing range called NZA New Zealand Auckland.

The number of mortgagee sales has jumped nationwide in the past quarter as worsening economic conditions and lower dairy payouts hit parts of provincial New Zealand.

About 7000 Auckland residents have successfully challenged their 2014 property revaluations - and the most common outcome has been a fall in the home's CV.

Gone are the days of using a garage just to store the car.

Aucklanders are leaving in such numbers that half the house sales in the Waikato outside Hamilton and nearly a quarter in Tauranga are to those from the big city.

Aucklanders snapping up out-of-town property unseen have prompted warnings of the dangers of not getting expert checks.

A large piece of land for sale in Wellsford could be the answer for Aucklanders looking for cheaper housing and a change of lifestyle.

One of Auckland's most upmarket new apartments hits the market tomorrow, although it is not yet built.

Minister Nick Smith admits that Auckland had a housing shortage, but notes that there were a large number of uncertainties in the analysis.

Auckland Council's Housing Project Office estimates city's shortfall could rise rapidly to 25,000 homes in 2018, compared to current levels of roughly 15,000.

New stats show a big fall in median prices for July.

Home values on Auckland's North Shore are up 17.6 per cent year-on-year and a huge 6.2 per cent since May.

Sellers who want their homes to stand out need to get an offer that meets their needs. Here are some pointers from the pros.

It could be the best house on The Block but it hasn't been touched by contestants on the popular home renovation show.

First-home buyers shut out of the Auckland housing market could soon be spoiled for affordable choices if proposed changes to the Unitary Plan go ahead, property experts say.

Is Auckland heading towards a 'San Diego effect'? - where housing becomes so unaffordable most workers can no longer afford to live in a city.

The family home of party pills godfather Matt Bowden has sold to a local man at a mortgagee sale for $1.8 million.

Despite constantly forging new records, property buyers expect house prices will continue to increase.

New Zealand residential building consents fell 4.1 per cent in June as construction intentions in Canterbury tapered off.

Figures showing bank loans to investors outnumbering first-home buyers by three to one are hard evidence of what has undoubtedly been happening for a long time.

Owners of a huge apartment complex are about to endure their second round of building repairs, and taxpayers could be up for half that bill.