As a homeowner, landlord and previously a tenant (for 20 years) I see two sides of the same coin. As a long-term tenant I always looked for a bargain. Cheap as, big as, nice as, close as - that's the mantra, the way we judge prospective tenancies.

Home ownership is important for Chinese millennials living in New Zealand - but not necessarily for the same reasons as in China.

Every time there is an advance in communication or transport technology, there is invariably comment that this new leap forward is likely to lead to the decentralisation of economic activity and the demise of central business districts.

A new six-house subdivision next to vineyards and prime farmland in the middle of the Wairarapa valley is not what you would expect of a social housing initiative, but it is one that a local hapu feels will work well with its marae.

With house prices surging, building a home has become a more attractive - and for some, a much cheaper - option for getting a foot on the property ladder. Matt Stewart reports.

A new subdivision in Blenheim will soon be underway, and it will help alleviate the region's housing shortage, the council says. Billed as a "high class" development, the Rose Manor subdivision will have 190 sections and will be situated at Old Renwick Rd in Springlands.

The glistening waters of Mangawhai are a big draw for people wanting to leave the rat race behind. Following the Kaipara District Council's botched wastewater scheme, rates went up by 50 per cent for some properties in the seaside town.

Kapiti's mayor has defended a proposed rate increase that tops the Wellington region, by accusing other councils of "eating" their own future. Other mayors, however, say they're quite happy with their lower percentage increases. As of this week, all nine councils in the region have begun consultation on proposed rate increases for the next billing year, starting in July.

It was New Zealand's biggest, most complex seismic strengthening project, costing $83.5 million and taking 4½ years, but now Wellington's tallest skyscraper stands firm once more. Reporter Matt Stewart looks behind the logistics.

There was a great headline this week: "Nine level apartment rejected". The bureaucratic quagmire of government shuts down developments while news stories abound of people living in cars; some columns write themselves.