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Former West Auckland real estate agent Aaron Drever faces criminal charges linked to his role at Auckland Speedway *** SkyCity fire: Flooded vehicles to be removed from basement *** Tenants' triumph: Landlord attempt to impose $400 a week rent hike for Herne Bay home fails *** Metlifecare results: More sales at higher prices pushes profit up 28% *** Local Focus: Napier demolition the largest 'in living memory' *** Summerset Group profit drops 18% after retirement unit delivery rate falls *** Chief executive's ambiguous words trigger Shelly Bay fiasco *** Auckland house price boom: Small, unremarkable unit sells for $1.4m *** Event Cinemas to open Newmarket multiplex, aiming to bring 'red carpet'- style experience *** Tenancy Tribunal award $4000 over mouse-ridden Coatesville rental *** Rat-infested flat and a rotten deck: Tenant awarded $12,000 *** Big leasing deals push up Precinct revenue, net profit more than doubles *** Fletcher Building net profit drops by $7m to $82m 'in line with expectations' *** Westpac economists tip house prices to grow by 10 per cent *** Hibernate Luxuriously in This 5,572-Square-Foot Cave Mansion *** COMMENT: Checking in on insulation *** This Home Looks Like a Barn (But Has Enough Room to Be a Small Castle) *** Personalize Your Space With a DIY Gallery Wall *** 5 Tips to Declutter Your Closet in a Day *** 9 Tips for Achieving Maximum Coziness *** COMMENT: The truth about flexible workspaces *** New survey ranks NZ's most and least affordable cities *** COMMENT: What lies ahead in 2020? *** COMMENT: Off-the-plan investing in 2020 *** 5 New Year's Resolutions That Can Help You Buy a Home *** Home Organization: Embracing Order in the New Year *** COMMENT: Landlords obligations to tenants *** Chic Holiday DIY: Fragrant Herb Chandelier and Custom Treat Bags *** The Secret to No-Fuss Holiday Decor? Use What You Already Have *** How to Decorate Simply for the Holidays (With Big Impact) *** COMMENT: Unlawful premises – moving past Anderson v FM Custodians *** 5 Easy Improvements to Get Your Home Guest-Ready for the Holidays *** COMMENT: Removing 90-day notices - the impacts *** COMMENT: The truth about tenancy terminations *** How to Actually Afford to Buy a Home in America *** This Isn't Your Average Woodland Cottage *** COMMENT: Sign of changing times *** Step Inside the Castle a Dad Promised to His Son *** 4 Ways to Cozy Up Your Kitchen for Fall *** 7 Perfect Kitchen Upgrades for a New Look Without Remodeling *** COMMENT: Getting to grips with tenancy disputes *** Enter If You Dare: Inside a Real-Life Haunted House *** COMMENT: Let the buyer beware! But what about the seller? *** How to Throw the Perfect Pumpkin-Carving Party *** This Studio Came From a Feed Store *** What Kind of Bugs Are in Your House? *** Is Your Home Trying to Kill You? *** 12 Tasks to Tackle This Fall *** Getting Your Home Ready for Trick-or-Treaters *** Buying a Home? Plan for These Hidden Costs *** This Sky-High Water Tower Doubles as a Rustic Beach Retreat *** COMMENT: Prospects strong for yielding assets *** 11 Fall Maintenance Tasks to Do This Weekend *** 5 Reasons to Buy a Home This Fall *** 8 Minimalist Homes That Are Big on Style (Not on Stuff) *** COMMENT: How much is too much *** 7 Retro Trends Making a Comeback *** 8 Ways to Incorporate Your Passions Into Your Home Decor *** Quiz: What Style Is Your Dream Bedroom? *** COMMENT: The dangers of neglecting code compliance certificates *** Creating a Home(work) Station That Gets Top Marks *** Don't Believe These 5 Myths About Real Estate Agents *** This Stylish Treehouse Is Luxury Off-the-Grid Living *** 5 Myths (and 5 Truths) About Selling Your Home *** COMMENT: The coming rental housing crisis *** This School Bus Is a Tiny Home ... to a Family of 6! *** 6 Yurts That Will Have You Dreaming of Your Next Adventure *** Van? RV? School Bus? 6 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Home on Wheels *** Prepare for the Ultimate Staycation *** Say What? Home-Buying Lingo You Should Know *** 8 Budget-Friendly Staycation Ideas for Families *** Buyer, Beware: Is Your Future House Haunted? *** 3 Simple DIY Driveway Ideas *** A DIY Guide to Concrete Pavers for Driveways *** Investment Property: How Much Can You Write Off on Your Taxes? *** How to Modernize a Split-Level Home *** Sealing and Insulating Your Ductwork *** COMMENT: Loss ring-fencing ups war on renters & owners *** 10 Things You Need to Do When Buying A Home *** How to Bleach Hardwood Floors *** Is a Dual Agency Relationship Risky? *** COMMENT: The Sound of One Hand Clapping *** COMMENT: The compliance struggle *** COMMENT: Ditching Accommodation Supplement not the answer *** COMMENT: Tenant selection turned into a lotto draw *** COMMENT: Why the new standards are not the answer *** COMMENT: Ring-fencing impact likely to be limited *** COMMENT: Punishing landlords won’t solve crisis *** COMMENT: Why Takapuna is worth a look *** COMMENT: Tax deductibility of rental property upgrades *** COMMENT: Capital gain vs cash flow *** COMMENT: Property reno - where are the tradies? *** COMMENT: Ring-fencing rules could mean 116,000 less rentals *** COMMENT: How to fix the housing crisis *** The outlook for 2019 *** Desperately seeking answers *** What lies ahead in 2019 *** COMMENT: Setting policies good practice for landlords *** COMMENT: Embedded networks - what to watch out for *** COMMENT: War on tenancies should stop *** COMMENT: Landlording is a business *** COMMENT: Reforms would increase rental shortage *** COMMENT: Have we hit the bottom? *** COMMENT: Reform word games *** COMMENT: What “bad tenant” tales are really saying ***

THE PERFECT PLACE FOR HOME BUYERS AND SELLERS

There are all sorts of helpful resources all over the internet that can make home buying and selling much easier. But that's the problem. They're all over the internet. 

We've pulled together all of those resources and put them in one, easily accessible place. 

But Hometopia isn't just a portal full of links. 

We've added original content from our best-selling books, The Streetwise Home Buyer and Where to Live in Auckland to help you buy and sell better and provided expert commentary on suburbs and neighbourhoods from both a buyer's and a seller's perspective - all downloadable for free! 

Have a rummage around the site, you'll find all sorts of information for first time buyers, old-hands, investors and sellers about houses for sale and neighbourhood information. You can search for your ideal suburbs by lifestyle preference, compare real estate agency fees at a glance, get the low-down on who lives where, check how your suburb is doing in the price appreciation stakes and a whole lot more.

We hope you'll find Hometopia practically valuable, whether you're a home buyer, a seller or both. 

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DON'T GET RIPPED OFF - BECOME A STREETWISE HOME BUYER

If you're a first time buyer, check out our Streetwise Home Buyer articles, providing a step-by-step guide to successful home buying. Everything is covered, from buying an apartment to building your own home; from where to buy to what to buy; from making an offer to making a killing.

Need a CV or a LIM report? Use our Council Links to go straight to the relevant web pages without getting lost in the labyrinth of local government websites.

Ever wondered what your rent could buy you, or how much that mortgage will eventually cost you? Have a play with these Buyers' Calculators and find out.     

WHICH SUBURBS BEST SUIT YOUR LIFESTYLE?

Try our unique Suburb Sleuth lifestyle locator to discover which suburbs and neighbourhoods will suit you best.

Search by region, environment, style of homes, neighbours, quality of schools, commute time, budget and even hip factor to find the places that are right for you; then read about their pros and cons from the experts and view houses for sale in real time. 

WHAT WILL IT COST TO SELL YOUR HOME?

Get an immediate feel for the value of your home and see how your neighbourhood is performing in the price appreciation stakes.

Discover which agents are specialists in your area and find how they compare price-wise at a glance.

Or maybe you want to sell privately, let us show you your options and put you in touch with the resources you will need.

NEED A LENDER, MORTGAGE BROKER, BUILDING INSPECTOR,
LAWYER OR VALUER?

Due diligence is an important part of the buying and selling process, but who can help you in your area? We've got the relevant professionals listed so you can check them out for yourself before calling them, as well as mortgage brokers, valuers and new home builders.

Need a home loan? Check out the latest home loans and interest rates and what each of the banks are offering.