The New Zealand property market is performing strongly, with prices set to rise even further in 2020. The market has steadily picked up pace over the last few months, making it harder for many first-home buyers to save for a deposit. With property values rising and sales numbers increasing, there is increasing pressure in heated markets due to long-term lack of supply. According to Westpac's economists, we can expect 7% growth next year alone, with the market not yet hot but heating up by the minute.

The New Zealand population continues to grow, despite a sharp increase in the number of Kiwis leaving the country. While population growth is still putting pressure on the housing market, recent reports of a housing shortage seem to have been overinflated. Real population growth over the last 5 years has been significantly lower than forecast by Statistics New Zealand, with the housing gap real but much smaller than first thought. 

Technology continues to have a profound effect on every aspect of our lives, with computers and other devices used for work, play, and everything in-between. Whether it's a desktop computer at work, a laptop at home, or a smartphone during your daily commute, people are spending more time staring at computer screens each and every year. Excessive screen time is known to have a negative effect, with digital eye strain increasingly recognised as a serious health issue. Whether you suffer from headaches, blurred vision, or eye twitching, there are lots of ways to look after your eyes in the screen age. 

With summer approaching fast, there's never been a better time for some creative interior design tweaks. While few people have the time or budget to completely change their home each season, a few small adjustments will keep your home looking sharp and fresh. Summer is the time of light, heat, and celebration, with relevant interior design schemes able to align your home with the best aspects of the season. Let's look at some of the best interior design trends to look out for during the summer of 2019/20.

The rollout of 5G connectivity is having a huge impact, with some people looking forward to lightning fast download speeds and others concerned about the health and environmental risks of this new technology. 5G is the latest and fifth generation of cellular network technology, and promises faster speeds, lower latency, and greater reliability than its predecessors. 5G is about 60 times faster than 4G, with better speeds and bandwidth achieved through the use of higher frequencies and therefore shorter wavelengths. 

The New Zealand housing market is at the whim of multiple cross currents, with conditions quiet in Auckland but pressure building in other key markets. According to the latest ASB review, the national market can expect increased house price inflation in 2020, with falling interest rates and renewed population growth likely to increase the heat. Westpac economists offered a similar view in their latest assessment, with national prices rising and Auckland likely to return to flat growth after a year out in the cold.

As the US-China trade war continues to intensify, New Zealand is left wondering how it will be affected. As the first member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to sign a free-trade agreement with China in 2008, New Zealand has become somewhat dependent on the Asian giant. From dairy and agricultural products through to timber and tourism, roughly 20% of New Zealand's exports head to China.

Everyone knows about the positive impacts of exercise, with cardio and strength routines able to improve your health and upgrade your quality of life. Getting regular exercise is not always easy, however, with lifestyle constraints and existing physical problems often getting in the way. It's important to work through these problems, however, with arthritis, painful joints and stiffness responding well to the right exercises.

In order to deal with climate change, corporate greed and political inertia, a multitude of new energy solutions are required. While renewable solar and wind power is an important piece of the puzzle, scientists are also developing clever ways to capture existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and turn it into usable fuel. This transformative process almost sounds too good to be true, with “direct air capture” technology able to clean up the environment and produce eco-friendly liquid fuel at the same time.