Making headlines this week, home values up in all capital cities; warnings on asbestos dangers after bushfire damage; and solutions for some paint problems
If you want to buy real estate well, rule number one is to remember who is working for whom. The selling agent will appear to have your best interests at heart however the truth is what they are really interested in is selling you a property they have for sale and selling yours if you have one to sell...
Home values around the country increased again in November, new data shows.
Cotality’s national Home Value Index rose another 1 per cent in November, marking the third month in a row where Australian home values have increased by one per cent or more. However, the pace of growth is moderating, coming down from 1.1 per cent in October.
Apartment approvals remain strong despite a drop in October, according to data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The seasonally adjusted figures show that the total number of dwellings approved fell 6.4 per cent in October to 15,832, driven by a 13.1 per cent drop in approvals to build multi-unit dwellings. Put in perspective, however, this result follows a 25 per cent rise in apartment approvals in September.
A paint job that has been well-prepared and applied should last up to seven years under normal circumstances. If it starts to deteriorate sooner, then there is probably a reason which could be avoidable.
Here are some common problems and their solutions.
Last week was Asbestos Awareness Week, reminding owners of older homes to be aware of potential exposure during renovations or even following fire damage.
Homes built before 1990 are likely to contain asbestos materials, which we now know become dangerous when damaged or disturbed. What is less well recognised is the degree of disturbance following a fire...
What do you build when a seven-meter-deep stream divides your land, and you’re not allowed to place foundations within the width of the gorge?
Wallmakers Architects designed The Bridge House in Karjat, India, as a 100-foot suspension bridge composed of four hyperbolic parabolas, using minimal steel pipes and tendons for tensile strength and wrapping it in overlapping mud-thatch ‘scales’ reminiscent of the skin of a pangolin. Image: Studio IKSHA
It’s nowhere near enough yet to provide for all those looking for a home of their own, but home building is lifting, new data shows.
The latest seasonally adjusted figures released this week by the ABS show that the value of residential building work increased by 4.2 per cent in the September quarter, to be 8.5 per cent higher than at the same time last year.