News Archive
27 July 2008
Prepare for spring auction fever
Property experts say that whether you're looking to buy or sell, investing some time in preparing now can stand you in good stead come the first blooms. What vendors can do now If you're looking to sell this spring, then there's no time like the present to start the ball rolling. Adam Guest, a director at Century 21 Wilson Pride's offices in St Kilda, St Kilda East and Caulfield, says it... read news item »
26 July 2008
Stylists back in fashion
Marketing a pile of dirt with a multimillion-dollar view can be a tough sell, even for the most entrepreneurial developer. At the luxury end of the market, where off-the-plan, prestige apartments easily command upwards of $10 million, there is often no display apartment to help with "look and feel", leaving buyers to put their faith in a glossy marketing plan, a pile of paperwork and ... read news item »
20 July 2008
How to get the best price in a property slump
LAST week it was reported that more than 50 per cent of homes across Australia dropped in value - the worst housing slump in nearly 80 years, according to Residex. In Sydney alone, prices fell by more than 1 per cent during June to a median of $573,000. Coupled with rising petrol prices, mounting concern over interest rates and low consumer confidence, homeowners face uncertain times... read news item »
19 July 2008
Tim's up there for thinking green
No, not microscopic robots, he hastens to add, just energy efficiency in the home and good, old-fashioned frugality. For 10 years Mr Doeg and his partner Carolyn Crowe have been slowly adapting their Northcote home to make it more water and energy efficient. Yes, they have a water tank, solar panels and some of the more expensive gadgets on the market. But they insist inexpensive changes can... read news item »
19 July 2008
Debunking housing myths
THERE are two housing myths worth debunking. The first is that house prices never fall. The second is that because underlying demand currently exceeds new supply, house prices will keep rising. Neither is true, Australian house prices can and will fall. US house price falls of 15.3 per cent over the past year get most publicity, but Irish and British house prices are also falling sharply. ... read news item »
13 July 2008
Surprise auction action bucks the tepid trend
Real estate agents earn their commission by understanding the markets and locations they work in, knowing what a property is worth and maximising that price. But once in a while, a house or apartment comes along that takes everybody by surprise: vendor, agent and, occasionally, even the buyer. Estimates become a distant memory as frenzied bidding takes hold, driving the price skyward. These a... read news item »
13 July 2008
Adrift on a high-tech lily-pad city
Budding project … no roads, no cars, and with solar, wind and wave power to create energy. "Lilypad" is the brainchild of Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut. "Lilypad is what a completely self-sufficient floating city for 50,000 people could look like," he said. "The design of the city is inspired by the shape of the great Amazonia Victoria Regia li... read news item »
11 July 2008
NSW: The suburb-by-suburb guide to car brands
You may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but you can, it seems, gauge the price of a car by the postcode it parks in. Drive has scoured the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics census figures to match car brands with the suburbs in which they are most popular and it seems that badge snobbery is alive and well in Sydney. It comes as no surprise that the leafy lower north shore sub... read news item »
09 July 2008
Interest rate hikes a blessing for savers
DESPITE the fact that only one-third of Australians have a home mortgage, interest rate rises are usually seen from the point of view of a home borrower. Every time the official cash rate rises, the TV current affairs shows are full of distressed mortgagees wondering how they will meet the higher repayments. But there are two other groups, who are usually not consulted for their views... read news item »
09 July 2008
HIA predicts acute home shortage
Australia's population growth in 2007 exceeded 330 thousand. If this is maintained for the next five years, population will increase by more than 1.65 million. How many new homes are required to house these people? Read the following quote from the Housing Industry Association, released on 2 July. "HIA research identifies the requirement for an additional one million homes to be built... read news item »