Why low-cost defects loans are not enough
Despite the first rumblings of discontent among some commentators, NSW seems likely to offer strata owners interest-free loans to rectify defects in apartment buildings. And so they should. In fact,…
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How Fireys may save us from holiday let hell
The NSW government released their discussion document of the proposed new short-term letting regulations this week and, of course, they make interesting reading. I will be examining the proposal for…
Building blocks – an engineer on what went wrong and how to fix it
There’s an old joke about engineers – an optimist sees a glass half full, a pessimist sees a glass half empty, an engineer sees a glass that’s not designed for…
Flat Chat Wrap #36 – From block parties to hijacked high-rises
It would be fair to say that Flat Chat’s approach to apartment living and strata law over the years has been robustly non-academic. We use often cite anonymous sources and…
PODCAST: From block parties to hijacked high-rises
It would be fair to say that Flat Chat’s approach to apartment living and strata law over the years has been robustly non-academic. We use often cite anonymous sources, anecdotal…
From the Forum – Ratings sites for blocks, managers and agents
There’s an idea that‘s been floating around for a while now, that we should have a ratings website for good and bad apartment blocks and/or strata managers and rental agents.…
Is the Vertical Village just another urban myth?
A couple of years ago a friend bought an apartment in a small block near Sydney airport. She based her choice on location, the look of the place and, of…
Flat Chat Wrap #35 – Apartments go to the movies … and see more than they should
If you live in apartments for long enough it’s almost impossible not to catch a glimpse into other people’s lives. Most of us look away, hoping that the same courtesy…
PODCAST: When a look through a window lingers longer than it should
If you live in apartments for long enough, at some point you’re bound to catch a glimpse into other people’s lives. Most of us look away, hoping that the same…
From the Forum: Record readers prove every dog has its day
We had a record number of visitors to the website last Wednesday – more than 1800, if you must know – an event that always sets me off wondering what…
How Airbnb hastens the end for Queensland’s on-site caretakers
Can two wrongs make a right? First of all, let’s define “wrong”. I reckon the commercial exploitation of residential apartments through online holiday letting is wrong. I also think Queensland’s…
Embedded networks – the latest scam coming to a block near you
If crumbling buildings in Sydney and towering infernos in Melbourne are doing nothing else, they are drawing attention away from a sneaky scam that could cost new strata owners a…