Are you among those people who spend way too long on holiday with your nose pressed against real estate agents’ windows working out how much you’d have in the bank if you sold your city flat and bought a cottage in the country or at the seaside?

These holiday property romances usually end when you drive home and realise that commute would kill you.

Meanwhile, are you celebrating the reduction of short-term rental properties in our cities? FYI: They haven’t gone away, they’ve just moved to the country.

And have you ever wondered whatever happened to Jewel Food Barns? Take a trip down memory lane in the stories below in our feed from LeftField communications.

NSW prettiest street, Cate Blanchett’s suburban secret and the record breaking tiny town that broke the internet
If you’ve ever gone for a Sunday drive “just to look at houses,” you were definitely in good company this year. In 2025, the stories you clicked on the most weren’t always the biggest sales or the most outrageous renovations, they were the beautiful places.

Why Jewel supermarkets disappeared from Australia
Before Woolworths and Coles took the monopoly on Australian supermarkets and Aldi was the go-to affordable alternative — Jewel Food Stores lived in the hearts, and streets, of Australians for all their cheap grocery needs.

Sydney loses half its Airbnbs as listings surge drives up regional rents
Sydney’s Airbnb market is in freefall, with a dramatic exodus of short-term rental properties reshaping the city’s accommodation landscape.

Michael Jordan’s abandoned Chicago mansion might become a museum
The owner who bought sporting icon Michael Jordan’s ill-fated mansion has revealed plans to turn it into a “tourist destination”.

Block judge Marty Fox eyes $500m expansion into Dubai
Block judge Marty Fox has set his sights on $500m in first-year sales as he launches his Whitefox real estate brand into Dubai.

Big Bash stars build multi-million dollar property empires off the pitch
Matt Kuhnemann has had more time to focus on his growing property portfolio this week after missing the Big Bash League (BBL) season opener, but is set to take to the pitch on Friday.

What happened to George Michael’s millions, property empire
When George Michael died, he left behind a staggering £97.6 million ($A193 million) fortune and impressive property portfolio.

Inside property moves of Home Improvement cast
It was the 90s TV show that brought “more power” to the small screen for eight seasons.

Inside the failed plan for Monarto, the futuristic city that never was
In the optimistic 1970s, when humanity reached for the moon, South Australia’s Premier Don Dunstan reached for the stars, envisioning a futuristic metropolis called Monarto.

How the other half live: Inside multi million dollar mansions left to linger
Coming to the end of the year, property listings have slowed down and some of Australia’s most luxurious properties are lingering on the market

From TV drama to divine design: The Block star buys historic rural church
One of The Block 2025’s fan favourites is gearing up for his next challenge after buying a rustic church in a rural pocket of South Australia.

Jen Hawkins’ mansion, Silverchair knockdown and Outback Wrangler’s croc retreat
If there’s one thing Australians love almost as much as sunshine and seafood, it’s stickybeaking inside celebrity homes.

‘Plot twist’: Why 19 million people are obsessed with this couple’s wall
Home renovators in Europe have gone viral after uncovering a bizarre secret hidden inside the walls of their 90-year-old house. The man and his partner own a rundown 1930s house in the Netherlands.

London plane trees to be removed in Hamilton following infrastructure concerns
Twenty-five London plane trees will be removed from Gray Street in Hamilton, south-west Victoria, following complaints over their impact on local infrastructure. The trees were damaging footpaths and buildings, and people with mobility issues said they avoided the town centre because of them.

Expat’s praise for living in Australia
Forget the soaring property prices or the endless sunshine for a moment. An expat’s viral social media post has inadvertently delivered the ultimate endorsement for Australian living, revealing the profound, everyday realities that cement our nation’s reputation as one of the world’s most desirable places to live.

Two Block houses languish on market as experts cast doubt on 2025 sale
The dream of a quick sale has turned into a prolonged wait for two of The Block’s meticulously renovated Daylesford properties, which remain on the market seven weeks after their highly anticipated auctions.

The cost of living on your neighbour’s driveway
The chance to own a block of land in Sydney for under $400,000 usually comes with a catch — in this case, it is living on your neighbour’s driveway.

Sleep where Schubert worked: Historic Penfolds cellar set for transformation
A piece of Australia’s wine history offering incredible residential conversion potential has been snapped up in time for Christmas.

Gretel Packer expands Sydney property portfolio with $59 million purchase
Cashed-up heiress Gretel Packer has spent almost $60 million on a fixer-upper in Sydney’s exclusive Bellevue Hill.

How one flipper’s dream home turned into a $240K headache
Cassandra London thought she had landed a bargain when she bought a rundown property in the US. However, the purchase could become a financial headache.

I thought I didn’t need a bushfire plan, then my house almost burnt down
It was December 6, an ordinary Saturday afternoon in Koolewong on the NSW Central Coast. My husband Jake was hanging washing on our balcony when he looked up to see the hill beside our house totally engulfed in flames.

Serial Block buyer’s ‘redundant’ mansion could net millions
A repeat buyer on The Block TV show could cash in millions while hunting for a new owner for their UFO-like rainforest mansion — and raising the rent on a beachfront penthouse.

Kaia Gerber lists Soho loft for $8.7m
The daughter of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, has put her Mercer Street loft on the market for $US5.79 million ($A8.7 million), the New York Post reports.

Inside homes of former child stars and where they are now
They were once the child stars who graced our screens in beloved TV shows and films. As the spotlight faded, their paths varied, with some leading to personal challenges, while others building vast fortunes outside Hollywood.

Shocking Long Bay jail photos fuel calls to demolish prison for new homes
Sydney’s housing crisis has reached a new low, literally, as fresh images reveal the stomach-churning state of cells inside Long Bay jail — a grim reality so appalling it’s fuelling calls for its demolition and transformation into desperately needed homes.

The other $30m Whale Beach trophy home rivalling Jen Hawkins’ mega mansion
For years, the Northern Beaches prestige market has been fixated on a singular architectural yardstick: the colossal clifftop compound developed by Jennifer Hawkins and Jake Wall.

From outback toilets to historic churches: Bargain property that sold for as little as $21k in 2025
Although property prices continued to climb in 2025, there were some affordable finds — with a catch or two.

Buyer snaps up country estate for $9m after 20-minute FaceTime call
A house hunter has splashed close to $10 million on a luxury New Zealand estate after viewing the property during a 20 minute FaceTime call

Lawyer and Paul Keating confidante sells ‘interim home’ for $11.5m
Lawyer and former business associate of former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, Chris Coudounaris and his wife Antonia, have sold their Potts Point apartment for $11.5 million.

Jamie Durie swaps $33m Sydney mansion for 3D printed Byron farmhouse
He’s just listed his $33m mega-mansion in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, and now award-winning landscape architect Jamie Durie is embarking on his next homebuilding project, creating Australia’s second 3D printed concrete home on his dairy farm in Bangalow, northern NSW.

Oscar Piastri’s dad buys $7.3m Mornington Peninsula home
Formula One star Oscar Piastri’s father Chris has splashed $7.3m on a schmick three-level Mornington Peninsula house.

‘Malcolm’ film house sells for $3m in South Yarra
The South Yarra house where Australian filmmaking couple Nadia Tass and David Parker made the gadgets for their cult flick Malcolm sold for $3m on Saturday.

Neighbours demolition sends real Ramsay Street property values soaring
Melbourne has woken up to a world without Neighbours, and the demolition of Erinsborough is now expected to send demand for the last real Ramsay Street homes into overdrive.

Gary Ablett Jnr lists luxury Surf Coast home for staggering rent
A luxury Surf Coast home built by dual Brownlow medallist Gary Ablett Jnr and wife Jordan when they returned to Geelong from the Gold Coast, is up for grabs.

Why these tiny blocks are hot property
Perth’s housing market is tight, and buyers are getting creative. One trend gaining traction is the unassuming laneway block: compact sites tucked behind established streets that offer a unique path into well-located suburbs.

What do a camel, a bargain island home and a Bunnings have in common?
Let’s be honest: Australians adore a property story with a twist. And in 2025, you proved it again and again. The most-clicked “quirky homes” stories weren’t just different, they were delightfully unhinged in the way only Australian real estate can be.

Rent like a star: The Aussie celebrity homes you can stay in
Ever wondered what it’s like to wake up in a home where movie scripts were memorised, chart-topping hits were composed, or red-carpet outfits were planned? Now’s your chance to swap your everyday digs for a slice of celebrity luxury.

How to tell if a suburb is about to boom? MECCA sets up shop
It used to be golden arches. Then it was a Bunnings. But now there’s a new telltale sign your suburb is on the cusp of a boom, and this time it’s far more bougie.

Healthy Harold van listed online as $300 a week rental
A decommissioned Healthy Harold van has been put up for rent in Brisbane with a price tag of $300 per week. The Life Education van will be instantly recognisable to the millions of Australian school students who received a visit from the iconic giraffe puppet.

Olympic legend Lauren Jackson scores property payday in Albury
Basketball star Lauren Jackson has sold an investment property in her country New South Wales hometown. Jackson, who was born in Albury, is widely considered to be Australia’s greatest women’s basketball player.

‘I wish we hadn’t found it’: Mum makes creepy find in attic
A mother in the UK has been left feeling unsettled after making a strange discovery in her new house.

Tones and I drops $6.4 million on three Mornington Peninsula properties
Australian singer Tones and I has splashed more than $6 million on three properties on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.

Mystery surrounds strip of lawn selling for nearly $20,000
A patch of grass in one of England’s poshest cities has hit the property market. Walking past the plot, you would easily mistake it for a council verge

Michael Kauter and David Gracey mansion sells for $12.25m
One of the gay marriage poster boys who split in a “tough divorce” says the sale of their luxury home has given him enough to “start again”.

Catch Group co-founder sells Brighton land for $17.7m
The co-founder of online retail giant Catch Group has sold a Brighton lawn for more than $17m — but taken a multimillion-dollar cut to their hoped for price in the process.

Historic Aussie village with schoolhouse up for sale
A historic village featuring one of Canberra’s best-known heritage buildings is up for grabs, spanning almost 12,000sqm and offering a blank canvas for inspired developers.

Did Kevin McCloud’s podcast buddy just make him blush?
The Grand Designs host’s upcoming tour with fellow architecture tragic Tim Ross was built on solid foundations.