Average U. S. rates for fixed mortgages crawled higher this week but stayed low by historical standards.

On Thursday Freddie Mac, a mortgage buyer said that the rate on the 30-year loan increased to 4.48 percent from 4.47 percent last week. The average on the 15-year fixed loan rose to 3.52 percent from 3.51 percent.

Being the third one this week Kiwibank lifted its mortgage rates. The bank said that from today it would raise its one-year home loan rate from 5.25 per cent to 5.45 per cent while its two-year rate would increase from 5.65 per cent to 5.95 per cent for borrowers with at least 20 per cent equity.

Borrowers with less than 20 per cent equity will have to pay 6.29 per cent per annum for the two-year fixed rate.

A Treaty settlement has been fast-tracked to plan more affordable housing for Maori in Tauranga. The settlement has given back 50 acres of a 100-acre block of land in Papamoa to Nga Potiki a Tamapahore iwi.

The other half was allocated to the Waitaha nui a Hei iwi as part of their deed of settlement with the Crown.

Just after a day when rival bank ANZ lifted its rates, Westpac bank also increased its fixed mortgage rates.

Westpac said from today it would remove three special rates and increase its normal rates by between 9 basis points and 34 basis points.

Yesterday ANZ lifted its fixed rates by between 9 and 34 basis points.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) former manager and major investor sells down its holding of an 8.6 per cent stake in NZX-listed landlord and Sylvia Park mall owner Kiwi Income Property Trust.

Kiwi, which went into a trading halt this morning, has announced that CBA appointed Goldman Sachs to sell down its unit holding in the Trust by way of placement.

Latest figures show New Zealand's booming property market is working wonders in real estate jobs and applications for licensed accreditation. About 1500 positions have been advertised so far this year which is according to job listing site Seek, an increase of more than 29 per cent on last year's total.