Building approvals have tipped down again, thanks to the ever-volatile apartment sector, official figures show. Data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that the seasonally adjusted number of dwellings approved fell 12.9% in October, following a…
Read moreAuthor: Adam Nobel
Love, in rotation
It’s that time of the year when Love Actually inevitably returns to screens. So we found our own love story, in the rotating home a Bosnian man built so his wife could have better views. When his wife complained that…
Read moreOranges, coffee and plastic bottles
Orange peels, coffee grounds, algae and 2 million recycled plastic bottles were the building materials for the Italian pavilion at Dubai Expo, as a way of highlighting a need to incorporate climate awareness into design. The bottles made up the…
Read moreWould you buy property with friends?
One in four Australians have considered buying property with family or friends, a new survey shows. When asked what was driving this trend, more than two-thirds said affordability was the main driver, followed by wanting to buy a bigger/better property…
Read moreBuilding steady
Building work done on new homes remains high, according to data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The latest figures show that new residential building completed remained flat in the September quarter 2021, to be 7.0% higher…
Read moreWater in the garden
Whether it is a gentle stream trickling down a water feature, birds bathing joyously in the birdbath, or kids running through the sprinkler, there is plenty to be enjoyed in a garden that has water added. Even if you only…
Read moreNew homes to have EV chargers
New home builds in the UK will be required from next year to include chargers for electric vehicles, prime minister Boris Johnson announced this week. With cars and taxis accounting for 16% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2019,…
Read moreHow to remove scuff marks
Scuff marks. Every wall gets them, especially if there are kids in the house. Yet they’re also surprisingly easy to remove, and without harsh chemicals that could damage paintwork. The simplest method for getting rid of most scuff marks takes…
Read moreAloe, summer safety first
Summer arrives next week and many of us are already spending more time outdoors, often cooking and eating dinner in the balmy end-of-day. Keep a potted Aloe Vera plant handy to the barbecue. It doesn’t have to be very big,…
Read moreMarket eases back
The Australian housing market is stabilising following months of price increases, according to the latest update by NAB Group Economics. NAB’s research shows that values rose 1.5% last month, similar to August and September. However, the trend shows the market…
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