Lest we forget
Next Wednesday we celebrate our Anzacs. In property news this week, nine in ten home sales make profit; ramping up the war on food waste; and why an appraisal is important when selling…
Vendors profit from home sales
Most home sales in Australia are still turning a profit for their vendors, new research has revealed.
Around the country, 91.1 per cent of all properties resold in the December quarter went for a price above their previous purchase price.
Borrowers buying, not building
Borrowers were more keen to buy than build in February, according to housing finance data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The seasonally adjusted figures show that the number of commitments for owner-occupied housing finance fell 0.2 per cent in February 2018, brought down by a drop in loans for new building.
Cooperation in the war on food waste
It is estimated that Australian households throw away almost $4,000 worth of unused food each year. In fact, Victorian households alone throw out 250,000 tonnes worth of food annually, according to Sustainability Victoria.
So it was good to hear this week that the federal government has awarded $30 million towards a new Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), which could see this wastage reduced. But what can we do, at an individual level?
Property appraisal: why is it important?
Having your home professionally appraised can be equally daunting or satisfying, but however you feel about it, it is an important step if you are considering placing your home on the market.
We look at what happens, and why it is an integral step in the sale...
No more plastic pollution!
Next Sunday, April 22, is Earth Day 2018, with a focus this year on ending plastic pollution.
Around 300 million tons of plastic are produced each year to make bags, bottles, packaging and other commodities for people all over the world. Unfortunately, only about ten percent of this plastic is properly recycled and reused.
Why not spend time this weekend working out ways your household could reduce plastic: whether it’s no more plastic shopping bags, straws or food containers, drinking only from glass bottles or avoiding plastic-wrapped produce, ask Do I need it, and Can I use something else?
Dust off, lampshade
Lampshades are notorious dust-collectors, and often difficult to clean. One quick and easy solution is to wipe them over with an adhesive lint roller – the same type you use for your clothes.
Lint rollers are also perfect for that last-minute tidy up of upholstery, cushions and curtains just before guests arrive.