Shine on the outside
Exterior lighting for the home is important in many ways, for safety, security or appearance, and there are just as many ways to achieve the effect you want. No longer are your options restricted to a glaring spotlight, or the…
News
Sold! For $2m over reserve
Some say it’s hard out there right now – and then others will pay $2m over the asking price to get the home they want. That’s what happened in Sydney this week, when a house in the sought-after suburb of…
4 tasks you should leave to the tradies
No matter how skilled a handyman you are, there are some household repair jobs you just shouldn’t attempt yourself. Here are a few situations where it’s better to call in a professional. 1. Electrical faults Simple jobs such as installing…
The original hobbit
Social media has lit up this month with photos of a ‘hobbit house’ discovered in Scotland, yet its 90-year old owner-builder has revealed he’s never watched Lord of the Rings – in fact he lives almost completely off the grid.…
Interest rates to 10-year high
The Reserve Bank wasted no time this week taking its sledgehammer to the currently rampaging rate of inflation in Australia, using its first meeting for 2023 to increase the cash rate by a further 25 basis points. This takes the…
Refinancing high in December
Borrowers switched lenders in droves to find a better deal throughout December, according to data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The figures show that the value of loan refinancing between lenders fell 1.5% but remained…
How often to wash sheets?
How often should we be washing our bedsheets? Given how good it feels to slide into a clean bed after a long day, it is surprising how few people wash the sheets every week or two. In fact, research shows…
New home sales down
Sales of new homes continued to decline through December, according to a monthly survey of Australia’s largest volume home builders. The latest HIA New Home Sales reports that sales of new homes fell by 4.6% in December leaving sales in…
Dollhouse chess, anyone?
A rare chess set that features retro furniture on a board lined with colourful linoleum is up for auction. The ‘Modern Chess Set’ by English artist Rachel Whiteread sets up as a war of the sexes, placing the miniature 1950s…
Natural hoarders
The owners of a home in California were surprised this week to uncover a 317kg stash of acorns in the wall of their house. Assumed to be the hoard of tiny woodpeckers which had accessed the house through the chimney,…
