Don’t give cold water the cold shoulder
According to the manufacturers cold water laundry detergents wash most clothes perfectly well. Most if us, however, still cling on to our mum’s advice about using warm water to wash our clothes. However in the process we use up valuable energy and contribute to carbon emissions. And remember, you don’t need a carbon tax to become more aware of CO2 emissions.
According to TreeHugger, a full 90 percent of the energy used in washing clothes goes toward heating the water, so it stands to reason that using less energy by washing in cold, unheated water would create significant environmental savings. But just how More >
Death of the Australian Dream as pets pay the price
It’s not just houses among gum trees on ¼ acre blocks under threat from the supposed death of the Australian Dream; a report shows man’s best friend is also victim to a shift in where and how we live.
Dog and cat ownership is down across Australia, according to a report from the Australian Companion Animal Council that found high-density living, changing lifestyles and government legislation to blame.
The ACAC paper found that in the past decade Australia’s dog population has decreased by at least 14per cent and its cat population has dropped by about 10 per cent, as latest figures from More >
Cut your greenhouse gas emissions – get a plant
It’s a little worrying to find out that for those who live in cities or in the suburbs the air inside our homes and offices is actually more polluted than outside. But help is at hand – and it comes in the form of the trusty house plant. A study being conducted at the University of Technology in Sydney has found that plants can reduce nasty greenhouse gas emissions.
Have a look at this recent article form the Sydney Morning Herald, written by Michael Green.
”According to the World Health Organisation, urban air pollution kills 2 to 3 million people around the More >
Domain scoops mobile technology award
Fairfax Media’s real estate website Domain.com.au won the ‘Best Audience Migration to Mobile Technology’ category at the 2011 Australian Mobile Awards, held in Sydney last week.
This category recognises migration of an audience from traditional media to a mobile platform.
“Domain recognised the trend that people are gravitating towards using mobile devices, not desktops, to access information,” said Tony Blamey, general manager real estate, Fairfax Marketplaces.
“All of the mobile devices are unique with a focus on an interactive and highly visual environment to create the best user experience. They are not a replication of the website content.”
“The team has spent the past More >
Timing: Rent or buy, upsize or downsize?
There are times when you reach a crossroads in life – and property is often centre-stage.
Should you keep renting or buy your first home instead? Should you upgrade to a bigger home or stay put?
Should you borrow against your home to buy an investment property and when should you make your move?
Transition one: renting to buying. If you’ve been renting for a while and you’re trying to decide whether to buy, you need to consider a couple of key issues.
First, are you in a secure job? If you’re in a full-time permanent position, you’re much more likely to get More >
Spring has descended but the cash rate hasn’t
Tuesday’s Reserve Bank decision to keep the cash rate steady for a tenth successive month is cause for celebration, though a rate reduction would have resulted in more than half of all Australians with home loans building a bigger financial buffer against mortgage stress.
A national survey of 1,000+ homeowners and investors commissioned by Mortgage Choice and completed this week found 50% intend to contribute more to their home loan if interest rates fall over the coming months, rather than spend any additional funds. 7% will spend more but also save more by contributing extra to their home loan.
As for the remaining More >
Melbourne – The Best Place to Live
It’s official…again! The experts have declared what we all know to be true – Melbourne is the world’s most livable city.
Knocking Vancouver of its perch, the Economists Intelligence Unit’s latest livability survey places Melbourne in the number one position. It’s the first time in almost a decade of the global livability survey that Vancouver hasn’t ranked as the best place to live in the world. Melbourne shared first position with Vancouver in 2002 but finally snitched the top spot in its own right in the August 2011 survey.
The livability survey ranks a total of 140 locations as having the best More >
Getting ready to sell
When selling, a PPG real estate agent will discuss the benefits of different sales methods, the best way to advertise the property, and perhaps suggest improvements to maximise the selling price. We are fully equipped to assist in all of these areas.
Experience shows that vendors who invest in going that “extra mile” with presentation usually achieve a quicker sale and sometimes, a higher price. In a cautious market, the “wow” factor is more important than ever. You want to stand out from the crowd and attract as many interested buyers as possible. Your agent will assist with bringing buyers through More >
Home loan war underway
A FRESH round is likely to begin in the mortgage price war with Commonwealth Bank pledging to beat any advertised rate among its three big rivals.
The pledge has hallmarks of the ”unbeatable” campaign launched by National Australia Bank in New Zealand, a move that spurred on home lending but crunched margins among banks.
The move has been timed with the spring sale season, traditionally the most active period in the Australian housing market.
Intense competition has already emerged among banks across fixed rate loans, with some starting to price fixed rates lower than variable rates.
But CBA’s push extends to both fixed and More >
Tiny rise in fixed rate demand despite big price discounts
Borrowers’ uptake of fixed interest rate home loans rose by less than one percent of approvals over August despite lenders introducing large reductions to the cost of their fixed term loans, according to Australia’s largest independently-owned mortgage broker.
Fixed rates accounted for 14.1% of Mortgage Choice’s home loan approvals last month, up only slightly from 13.3% in July (though rising for the third consecutive month), while the popularity of ongoing discount loans continued its steady increase, up from 38.6% to 41.5% of approvals.
Company spokesperson Kristy Sheppard said, “New borrowers’ appetite for ongoing discount home loans has steamed ahead for 10 consecutive months More >
