Have you ever walked into a home and thought - there was so much potential and it's all been lost.

A room with limited natural light, painted in dark shades and made to look smaller than it is. A poorly shaped couch that throws off the whole room. Or one that we see all too often - old, outdated lighting that can make a gorgeous home immediately look neglected.

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For a long time, the kiwi dream has been to do whatever it takes to get onto the property ladder and work your way up from there, but some investors are moving away from that advice - instead suggesting that it might be a better idea to rent and put your money elsewhere.

It's not just the cost of the property and the mortgage repayments. You're paying to maintain the property in a way you wouldn't be if it were a rental, you're covering rates, insurance, and all the other little costs that add up pretty quickly.

That's money that some investors argue could be spent on investments, or on a rental of your own that would at least bring some return.

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It's pretty common these days when buying a house to throw in a couple conditions with your offer.

You're going to want a building report, your bank may want a property valuation before they agree to insure the property, and most commonly - you may need to sell your home first before your able to settle on the next one.

But for a seller, any one of these could be a deal breaker - and could mean a lower offer is accepted over yours just because it's unconditional.

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Who hasn't at some stage in their life been a landlord or tenant?

For many people, it's the first time they have to think about contracts and legal obligations - but are there red flags which should have you as a landlord rejectying a particuolar tenant - and like wise as a tenant that have you looking for somewhere else to live.

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New builds and townhouses alike have become the best option for first home buyers looking to get into the market.

Townhouses offer a lower-cost alternative to standalone homes without having to fully commit to apartment living, and new builds often mean low-deposit loans and easier access for first home buyers.

Problem is, the boom of new build townhouses is quickly slowing down - they're no longer classed as new builds, thus no longer as easy of a first option.

It's not just a problem for potential buyers - it also means that those looking to sell the townhouses they purchased new a few years back, are waiting much longer for them to sell for not much more than what they were purchased for.

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Mum and dad investors are pulling out of the property market.

The housing market is shifting to focus on the needs of your everyday owner-occupier, but the demand for rentals as still as high as ever and it doesn't look like that will change any time soon.

The problem is that, among other reasons, the cost of running a rental is at an all time high, debt-to-income and loan-to-value ratio rules have blocked a lot of access to funding, and long-term capital gains aren't what they once were - all leading to more professional property investors.

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If you're declaring yourself as the bank of mum and dad, you'll need to have some conversations with your children about what they can afford - and what happens if that changes.

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Westpac's economists are picking 6 consecutive OCR hikes from December - they're forecasting that it will hit 4% by the end of next year.

The OCR dropped to 2.25% just before Christmas, which is where it stands now, but there have been rumblings for some time that we'd start seeing hikes soon, as all major banks lifted long-term loan rates.

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