The annual Aussie Bird Count is on again, starting Monday. Also in the news, the impact of solar power on home values; and how to avoid settlement scams
Over the years I’ve observed buyers making just about every mistake there is to make. For example: letting a great home slip through their fingers because of indecision; saying too much to a sales agent when negotiating; being too influenced by a computer generated data report; and taking advice from well-meaning but ill-informed friends and family...
Homes with solar power systems are valued at around 2.7 per cent more than comparable homes without, according to a new report from Cotality.
That equates to an average uplift of approximately $23,100 at a national level.
Property settlement scams, while not widely prevalent, can be devastating due to the large sums of money involved and the emotional toll on both homebuyers and sellers. New research shows how they work and details steps to mitigate risk.
Next week, from 20-26 October 2025, Australians will head into their backyards for BirdLife Australia’s annual Aussie Bird Count.
Last year, more than 57,000 participants counted an astonishing 4.1 million birds as part of the week-long national event. No two states shared the same top three birds, showing how birds are integral to the unique character and identity of each state.
In yet another case of history selling the house, the Washington D.C. home where John F. Kennedy and his family lived during his 1960 presidential campaign has been listed for sale at US$7.5 (AU$11.5) million, more than twice what it last sold for in 2004.
Built in 1811, the unassuming 5-bedroom townhouse was sold when Kennedy moved into the White House and has changed hands several times since.
A dark and dimly-lit home can be a deterrent to many buyers, but there are ways you can fix that before it becomes a problem. Here are a few, in order of complexity and expense.
Australian borrowers are increasingly choosing flexibility and wider choices over loyalty to a bank, new figures show.
According to data from Cotality, commissioned by the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA), the mortgage broker market share of all new residential lending has reached a new record of 77.6 per cent in the June 2025 quarter, the highest on record. This is a jump of more than 10 per cent over the past two years.