The mortgage crunch in Australia has eased recently as interest rates drop to new lows. This is excellent news for many home owners and investors who had previously been riding a wave of soaring mortgage repayments and increased credit card debt. As a result of the drop in interest rates
LED lights are finally reaching a level that is set to make them the choice of lighting when it comes to what to put inside – and outside – your home. You might not see them on the shelves of Kmart just yet, but most lighting retailers now carry several
It’s not easy being green when world leaders are grappling with the issues surrounding climate change. While we use green bags at the supermarket, recycle our rubbish, maybe do a little vintage shopping and even try to grow some vegies in the backyard or on the balcony – is
New homes starts plunged in the first three months of the year despite two rate cuts from the Reserve Bank in at the end of last year. Dwelling starts tumbled 12.6 per cent in the first three months of the year, following a 6.9 per cent drop in the final
Australia’s top central banker says recent interest rate cuts are not designed to spare mortgage holders the pain of falling house prices. Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens said he had no intention of engineering a return to the spiralling property prices and household debt levels which characterised the pre-2007 housing
With all the rapture about interest rate cuts – now equalling 0.75 per cent over the last two months – spare a thought for older Australians. Already a third of over 50s say they can’t afford their home repair bills, according to a national survey, and with every dent to
At its meeting today, the Board decided to lower the cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.50 per cent, effective 6 June 2012. Growth in the world economy picked up in the early months of 2012, having slowed in the second half of 2011. But more recent indicators suggest
A carbon footprint is an estimate of the climate impact of an activity – such as making a product, living a lifestyle or running a company. Typically, a carbon footprint is calculated by estimating not just the CO2 emissions that the activity in question causes, but also any emissions of
Choosing an accountant is much like choosing any other professional, such as a lawyer or plumber. The key is to shop around. What accountants can do for you How to find an accountant Questions to ask What accountants can do for you For most of us, the word ‘accountant’ makes