Borrowers need to be aware that current market pricing implies a rise in interest rates of around 2 percentage points over the next two years, writes Brian Fallow.

Auckland house prices rose at the rate of $677 a day in November, based on the average price increase from October to November.

The share of new mortgage lending going to borrowers with low deposits halved in October, the first month in which the Reserve Bank's curbs on such loans applied.

Lending restrictions are starting to ease the pressure on the property market but first-home buyers are still finding it tough as prices and interest rates creep up.

Despite the introduction of the Reserve Bank's lending restrictions, home affordability has continued to worsen according to a new report.

Homeowners who have stretched their budgets to get into the housing market in the past two years are likely to feel the squeeze as interest rates rise.

The Reserve Bank doubts its curbs on mortgage lending at high loan-to-value ratios will have a material counter-productive effect on house building.

NZ's median house price rose 1.9 per cent to a record in October, although sale volumes were dented as Reserve Bank lending restrictions began to bite.

One of NZ's largest home builders says new loan restrictions have cost it 24 new-home builds in the first month alone - and it expects more as the policy bites.

Home-loan risk can be spread by keeping some floating and the rest fixed over both shorter and longer terms.

National property prices rose by $10,000 in September, taking the median house price back to a record high reached earlier this year.

Westpac has dropped its two-year fixed rate home loan but at the same time hiked its one-year rate.

Low-deposit mortgages will not only be harder to get from the end of this month, but they will be a lot more expensive.

New figures show national property prices were up $5,000 in August, taking the national median price to $390,000.

House prices dipped last month, says the Real Estate Institute, but the number of properties changing hands was up more than 10 per cent from the month before.

Mortgage debt is rising at the fastest clip for 4 years.

Lenders are offering home-owners the lowest short-term bank mortgage rates in New Zealand history as they compete to lure customers before an expected rise next year.

The number of New Zealand house sales slipped from a six-year high last month, but the national market is still being driven by Auckland and Christchurch.

Bill English says the Government is "considering formalising" proposals to restrict bank lending and other "tools" to control credit growth.

My adult daughter - my only child - has been living with her partner for nearly four years in a relationship that may or may not last - it seems to be up and down.

Moves to dampen surging house prices - especially in the Auckland market - came from two directions yesterday.

Debate about rising house prices in Auckland and elsewhere has included discussion on the risk weights the Reserve Bank requires banks to apply to their housing lending.

Banks are slashing their long-term mortgage rates, with customers tied up for longer periods likely to save thousands.

Mortgage approvals reached their highest levels in almost four years last month, as people rushed to make the most of low interest rates.