Building tumbles
Sales of new homes tumbled in October, according to a new survey of Australia’s largest home builders. The latest HIA New Home Sales report, released this week, shows that sales of new homes fell by 22.8% during the month of…
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Pool’s in, beach’s out
Pools and granny flats have made a resurgence in favour with homebuyers over the last twelve months, new data shows. A study of keywords entered into multi-listing site realestate.com.au shows that property buyers and renters alike have shifted their preferences…
Wanted: green architect
Looking for a sustainable designer or environmentally-friendly architect for your next renovation project or new home? The Green Building Council Australia (GBCA) suggests a number of organisations can direct you to a sustainable design expert, including the Australian Passive House…
A beautiful shell
The ultimate dream home would surely reflect its owner – and so it is with the Miyako Island residence built by Japanese multidisciplinary artist Mariko Mori. Mori, who has worn only white since 1998 when she had a spiritual experience…
Value falls slowing
The scope of Australia’s housing downturn has widened, with both capital cities and regional areas recording a drop in housing values through October. Yet the momentum of the downturn is slowing in some parts and values remain well above pre-Covid…
Cash rate up to 2.85%
Interest rates continue to rise, with the Reserve Bank of Australia this week lifting the official cash rate by a further 0.25 of a percentage point to nine-year high of 2.85%. It is the second time in twelve years that…
Waste’s not waste, ‘til it’s wasted
Does your neighbourhood have a ‘library of things’? This relatively new movement gives locals the ability to borrow used tools, appliances or more things we would otherwise buy, use sometimes then leave forgotten in the garage for months or even…
These fences have history
They may seem innocuous, but the street-front fences of many houses in London are actually emergency stretchers re-purposed after the end of WWII. The original metal fences had been torn down for use in the war effort, so they were…
Cool idea for a hot house
A quick way to cool your home during the summer months is to install a covered pergola to shade the windows, particularly on the east and western-facing sides of the house. For optimum effect, make sure it can be ‘reversed’…
“Back in the day…”
Baby Boomers, it seems, actually did ‘have it easier’, according to new census data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. In fact, the figures show that 25–39 year olds in 1991 were three times more likely to own their…
