Green is good – it doesn’t need to be perfect
There’s a common misconception that apartment blocks must be more environmentally efficient than stand-alone housing. Having all those people living in a building with the same physical footprint as a…
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Apartment buyers holding out for a hero, says MP
The job of fixing the construction industry is too big for just one person and NSW needs a standalone building commission, not just a single commissioner, to fix the state’s…
Flat Chat Wrap 48 – Flats grow, Government ducks, Airbnb strife
We cover a lot of ground in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap, starting with the surprising news that new apartments are getting bigger while houses are getting smaller. Is it…
PODCAST – Flats get bigger, Government ducks, Airbnb in strife
We cover a lot of ground in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap, starting with the surprising news that new apartments are getting bigger while houses are getting smaller. Is it…
From the Forum: fire regs, air cons and limits on tenant numbers
Particularly at this time when half the country seems to be going uip in flames, fire safety seems to be more relevant than ever. So imagine you are in a…
PODCAST – Flats get bigger, Government ducks, Airbnb in strife
We cover a lot of ground in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap, starting with the surprising news that new apartments are getting bigger while houses are getting smaller. Is it…
Houses shrink, apartments grow, Hobart booms
Almost half the new homes being built in Australia are apartments, according to an Australian Bureau of Statistics survey, and flats are getting bigger while houses are getting smaller. The…
FOMO beats ‘buyer beware’ for purchasers
NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler’s recent comment that apartment buyers should “beware” of the potential for their new block falling around their ears – apart from sounding suspiciously like victim-blaming…
Airbnb – the spoiled brat of holiday lets – grows up
It seems that Airbnb, the spoiled brat of the holiday letting industry, is finally having to grow up and accept some responsibility. Their attitude has previously been ‘we’re so popular…
Flat Chat Wrap 47 – terror threats and a baffling unit block raffle
This week, JimmyT and Sue Williams tackle subjects that range from the sinister to the sublimely ridiculous … with some practical advice for investors in between. Why won’t the government…
From the Forum: How much should strata managers charge?
There are no fixed rates and they offer different services, but how much should a strata manager be charging? And how much commission should they be getting on strata insurance?…
Why NSW won’t release list of cladding blocks
The NSW government’s decision not to release the identities of the 444 buildings in the state that have potentially deadly flammable cladding may have a more political side than questionable…