The number of houses sold in NZ fell in December, continuing a trend of a slowing housing market - although the national median sale price rose slightly.

Rusty taps, creepy dolls on beds, dishes on the bench, dirty washing in the laundry and even cat bowls with cat food scattered around them.

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

Painstakingly and passionately recreated to pay a grand homage to its original 1940s state this Epsom house is a mix of classical tradition and modern living.

Auckland residential property values have rocketed by up to 18.6 per cent annually as Waitakere, part of South Auckland and the North Shore lead the charge.

An Auckland man and his family have made nearly $700,000 in profit in four years on a do-up in Mt Eden without making any major renovations.

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

Apartments could be the answer for financially strapped Aucklanders trying to get into the property market as the number of apartment building projects soars.

When John Key bought his holiday home on Omaha's Success Court 23 years ago, he probably had no idea how apt the street name would turn out to be.

Here's what some of those property descriptions sometimes really mean.

A real estate agency dealing with Asian-based investors is scouring Auckland and the upper North Island for properties to keep up with the demand from buyers.

Pop star Daniel Bedingfield has sold his Auckland western fringe rental home for $1.361 million at auction.

Residents of an inner-Auckland pensioner flat complex are shocked that their landlord Housing NZ is trying to interest developers in a real estate deal.

A century-old villa in Herbert Rd, built for Sir Edmund Hillary's grandmother, will be removed by the end of next month so it can be replaced with townhouses.

New Zealanders are increasingly in favour of modern houses, putting energy efficiency and sunny rooms before the character of old villas.

The rampant house price inflation which has pushed the dream of home ownership out of reach for thousands of New Zealanders is probably over, says English.

An Auckland resident has come up with a novel answer to the problem of unmowed berms - planting a corn patch.

An 8.6 per cent stake in giant listed landlord and Sylvia Park owner Kiwi Income Property Trust is now in play.

The next big financial disaster to hit New Zealand investors could involve a collapse in house prices or the sharemarket, says departing investment watchdog boss Sean Hughes.

A builder demolished a leaky Onehunga property he bought for $440,000, shifted a 105-year-old worker's cottage on to the site and got $924,500 for the renovated home.

National house prices rose $17,475 last month to reach a $425k median. But are falling sales numbers a sign that new loan rules are starting to bite? (with new infographic)

Five new lenders have applied to the Government to offer Welcome Home Loans amid surging numbers using the first-home buyer scheme.

Builders expect a rush of first-home buyers planning to build new houses following the Reserve Bank's announcement they will be exempt from new mortgage lending rules.

The ground floor of the first block of Auckland apartments to rise since the global financial crisis is due to be poured on Saturday. Darren Brown, project director for the $250 million 615-unit SugarTree between Nelson St and Union St, said the project was the first major residential development in Auckland since the downturn last decade.

Auckland first-time house buyers Tristan and Jessica Lomberg stepped out of the LVR trap by being hard-out savers.

Reserve Bank home-loan cooling measures have driven business into mortgage brokers' hands, says Jeff Royle.