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Shoddy builder complaints soared to a record 5669 in Queensland last year. This is up nearly 25 per cent in 12 months, with 28 builders barred for life. This article proves that building with a top ten builder, and not chasing the lowest price is a good idea when building your new home. The Building [...]

Jobs will determine how well the housing sector rides out the financial turmoil, according to Housing Industry of Australia. Falling interest rates and increased grants have helped boost interest in buying a new home but fear of losing their job has kept many buyers waiting in the wings. Melissa Ketchell’s Public Property blogMr Dale told [...]

Possible realities for future home design and homeowners.
Homeowners may be refused insurance in certain areas.
Home builders denied permission to build their home in certain areas
Local Government building standards to be beefed up and brought up to date to face the climate change realities, raising building costs.
Possibility of existing buildings being retro fitted and raised with new stumping/stilt methods in flood prone areas, to higher than prior flood levels.
Use fire resistant building materials and better building methods in fire prone areas.

The spate of wild weather that created the worse floods and cyclones ever experienced in Queensland allows us to reflect that we need to learn from the experience and move forward with confidence that we can mitigate any damage and loss of life in the future, by building more flood resistant and cyclone resistant homes as and where they are needed.

By going back to the traditional Queensland design and incorporate modern sustainability methods, we can build homes with lower gas emissions, with even a zero emissions target, and we might even help save the planet.

Mr Mortgage says that lower future homeownership levels are seen as part of a trend that he feels can be reversed if the root causes are addressed.
What has to happen is that the dream of homeownership needs to be resold to an older first home buyer that is now entering the market, and entry needs to be made easier.

New Home builders are feeling the pinch as new home sales go south After a spike in new home sales in October 2009, and rate rises by the RBA, November new home construction slumped. Maybe its time to reduce interest rates. In fact, some are now talking as if the RBA will be lowering the [...]

House prices are topping out in most Capital cities as the constant talk of more hikes in mortgage rates, both from the Reserve bank of Australia and major banks saying that their margins are being eroded in the funds market, and they will be moving to preserve then. Housing Affordability dips as house prices lift [...]