Tauranga housing company pays the rent as prices soar

Nov 22, 2018 | News

Ryan Hunt, Managing Director of Highmark Homes, said they identified that the prospect of making payments during the build was a major barrier for customers. “Often customers are having to pay rent at the same time as servicing debt to start construction, so with...

Dwell celebrates five years in business and a new build

Nov 20, 2018 | Member profiles

L-R: Minister Jenny Salesa and Dwell Patron Judge Peter Boshier are placing a time capsule with the hope that when it is found New Zealand no longer has a housing crisis. Recently Dwell took the opportunity to mark the fifth anniversary of this very successful merger...

First New Plymouth KiwiBuild homes

Nov 20, 2018 | News

There will be 68 modest starter homes built in Marfell with two-thirds being three-bedroom homes and the remainder four-bedroom. All of them will be built to a Homestar 6 rating with construction starting early next year. Phil Twyford said KiwiBuild is about restoring...

Salvation Army Supports Māori Housing Unit

Nov 19, 2018 | News

The Salvation Army supports the appointment of the Hon Nanaia Mahuta as new Associate Minister of Housing and Urban Development (Māori Housing) and the establishment of the unit as an valuable step to addressing the housing crisis. Salvation Army Social Policy and...

Tenancy fee shows failure of letting-fee ban

Nov 19, 2018 | News

A law change was passed at the start of this month to ban letting fees, which are usually equal to a week’s rent, which on average is $421, plus GST. The ban comes into effect on December 12. As part of the Government’s policy of “making life better for renters”,...

No small feat: High School students build tiny houses at Ara

Nov 19, 2018 | News

Carpentry tutor Mick Cooke is excited about the growing housing trend and says he’s wanted to build a tiny house for a few years. “I think tiny houses are great. I’d love one! Imagine getting one of these as a bach somewhere like Motunau or Cheviot, it would be ideal...

Major New Initiative to Improve New Zealand Homes

Nov 19, 2018 | Uncategorised

For the very first time in New Zealand, Kiwis will be able to simply check any home to see if it is warm, safe and dry, thanks to the launch of the new project, called HomeFit. HomeFit empowers Kiwis to find out the health of a home in two ways. Firstly, there’s a...

New Minister and Unit for Māori housing

Nov 16, 2018 | News

The Unit is being established within the new Ministry for Housing and Urban Development. Phil Twyford said the Māori home ownership rate is only 43 per cent compared to 63% for the general population, Māori make up 36 per cent of public housing tenants yet comprise...