Finding positives in negative gearing
To many Australians, the connection between negative gearing and inflated property prices seems obvious. But would rents rise if it was scrapped? Reader John Byrne thinks he has a solution.…
StrataKops and Airbnb
You’re always hesitant in this game to claim that you have a regular slot, anywhere, doing anything. Or you should be – it’s usually a guaranteed precursor to getting…
Window lock shock – you must install but you can remove
Following the tragic events in Bankstown recently, when two young children fell three storeys from an apartment block window, there has been a lot of discussion on Flat Chat about…
Selling sharing: Airbnb facts, figures and flim-flam
Airbnb and the battle for your block: Last week Jimmy Thomson looked at how some politicians have been seduced by the myth that online short-stay letting agencies bring nothing but good…
Denial and delay won’t cure concrete cancer
Ignoring the health of your building isn’t bizarre behaviour, says one of Australia’s leading experts on concrete cancer. In fact it’s totally in line with the way we view our…
Flat Chat name-checked in Parliament (with video)
Flat Chat was named in Parliament today – in a good way. Sydney MP Alex Greenwich asked the new Innovation and Better Regulation Minister Matt Kean if the government would…
Roundup: The naked truth about a backyard nudist
There’s an odd little question in this week’s Forum, and one that I admit I didn’t take seriously at first. See, this bloke likes to get his kit off in…
Dish the data … save the planet … win $200
Did you know that, despite the fact that we share a lot of services, apartment blocks tend to be less right-on than stand-alone houses when it comes to the environment?…
Politicians and the myth of the vomiting bridesmaid
Airbnb and the battle for your blocks: Part 3 Last week Jimmy Thomson looked at the appeal of “free money” and the push to allow holiday rentals to have greater access…
Monster utes – it’s not the width, it’s the length
Have you noticed a lot of giant ‘crew cab’ utes around recently? Those big four-door 4WDs with a short cargo tray tacked on the back? Australians bought more than…
Roundup: Space invading giant utes all the rage
Is it getting a bit squeezy in your car park? If it isn’t it soon will be. The biggest selling vehicle in Australia last year was the giant Toyota Hilux…
Airbnb: Free Money and Castles in the Air
Airbnb and the battle for your block: Part 2 Last week Jimmy Thomson looked at the growth of Airbnb and the opportunity and potential threats it presents to apartment residents.…