May it bring us all good luck. In property news this week, house approvals lift; affordability improves; and how to end food waste and save money instead…
If you don't include renovating as part of your property investment strategy then you're probably not maximising your potential returns. You can use it to fast track the growth of your portfolio, create an additional income stream, or a combination of the two...
House approvals lifted in April, especially in NSW and Queensland, according to seasonally adjusted data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The latest figures show that the total number of dwellings approved fell 5.7 per cent in April, to 14,633, due largely to a drop in apartment approvals which fell by a huge 19 per cent.
Australia’s housing market saw a shift in momentum over the March quarter 2025, with affordability showing its first signs of relief in over a year, according to the latest Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) Housing Affordability Report.
Sulphur-crested cockatoos might be considered a nuisance, but there is no shortage of anecdotes about their clever antics. Another instance came up this week, with reports from Western Sydney of the birds turning on taps so they could drink from water fountains in parks.
If you see cockatoos doing anything unusual or clever in your neighbourhood, let Australia’s scientists know by reporting it in the Big City Birds app. Image credit: Klump et al, Biology Letters, via Australian Geographic
Australian households could be saving as much as $2,500 a year by adopting some simple behavioural changes to cut their food waste.
Since its launch in September 2024, the Great Unwaste campaign has been working to boost public awareness of food waste, offering simple, practical, and achievable tips on how to reduce waste and save money.
Spending a quiet night at home just isn’t the same as it used to be. Maybe the neighbour is playing his trumpet, the kid in the next room has the television really loud, or the pub a few streets away has just become the live venue of choice.
We look at changes you can make to mitigate noise in your home.
25 years after the movie Notting Hill immortalised the colourful facades of the homes along London’s Lancaster Road, some homeowners have had enough.
In an effort to deter the endless tourists and influencers taking photos, picnicking on doorsteps and peering through windows, three neighbouring homes have been painted black, while another went from pink to grey. Image: Jamie Lorriman for The Telegraph