The ‘six pack’ flat and all of its variants have consistently provided an affordable alternative to the detached house in suburban Melbourne for over 80 years. All signs point to contemporary versions of the traditional ‘flat’ playing an essential role in meeting future housing needs. If Melbourne is to cope … Keep Reading
Ask Margaret: Merging blocks to create multiple dwellings
Hi Margaret, My husband and I currently own a house in Macarthur (ACT) and are in negotiations with our neighbor to buy their house next door, before they move to Tasmania next year. The houses are side-by-side and at the end of a cul-de-sac. I’m just wondering what our first … Keep Reading
Housing approvals rise 4.2pc in July as apartments, townhouses and semi-detached homes bounce back
Housing approvals rose 4. 2 per cent in July as the number of apartments, townhouses and semi-detached homes bounced back from a dip in June. The monthly total increased to 19,298 in seasonally adjusted terms from 18,523 approvals, pushing the rolling 12-month total to a record 224,121, Australian Bureau of … Keep Reading
Dodo founder Larry Kestelman drives record $200,000 car park sale
Car parks in Victoria have hit a new price benchmark as developer Larry Kestelman achieves a staggering $200,000 for bays within South Yarra’s Capitol Grand development, which will rise on the north-west corner of Toorak Road and Chapel Street. The Dodo founder turned property developer’s LK Property Group car park price came two months … Keep Reading
No double dipping on property defect claims
Are you thinking about making an insurance claim for damage caused by a property defect? If you live in a Strata property, you, including everyone who owns property in the Strata title only gets one shot! Renee Cassidy, Claims Manager at Whitbread Insurance Brokers explains… With high demand for property and … Keep Reading
Issues with Pets in strata units
This article discussing the funnier side to living with pets in strata units has been prepared by Peter Greenham, Independent Inspections. Living with pets in strata units has alway had its challenges, especially in relation to the management of the complex and common property areas. Just to convey how complicated some … Keep Reading
Pets in apartments: mood swings towards animal owners
Sightings of “fur babies” in apartment lobbies are becoming more common as developers, communities and urban planners come under pressure to cater for cats and dogs. A Melbourne high-rise with pooch-friendly grounds is the latest development to entice pet owners into apartments, and NSW is expected to overturn laws banning … Keep Reading
How to Make Most out of a Spare Bedroom
More and more people choose to live in low-maintenance apartments for various reasons: finding more time for travel and hobbies, saving money on furniture and appliances, decreasing energy costs or downsizing to start a new chapter of their life. According to a new poll commissioned by Urban Taskforce Australia in March 2015, … Keep Reading
Melbourne named world’s most liveable city, for fifth year running
Melbourne has topped The Economist’s liveability rankings for a fifth consecutive year. But planning experts have warned that, while the liveability rankings were “marketing nirvana”, they were meaningless for much of Melbourne, and got in the way of improving the city. And a social services group said the ranking failed to recognise … Keep Reading
The Block 2015: will apartments in South Yarra’s former Hotel Saville sell?
Producers of Channel Nine’s renovation series The Block have cranked up the pressure on contestants, who face one of the show’s biggest challenges: transform a notorious Melbourne eyesore into a luxury apartment building. The townhouses from the previous series, set in ritzy South Yarra in April, netted teams a TV world record prize of $3,165,000. The latest instalment, which starts on Channel Nine … Keep Reading