How to warm your home
May 15th
Oh to live in Darwin at this time of the year! Temperatures in that city this week are expected to average 32 degrees, with overnight lows of 21.
For the rest of us, the pre-winter chill is certainly starting to bite. As we move into the colder months, here are 10 ways to warm up your home.
1. Prune those sun-suckers
Shady plants are great in summer, especially on the north and western sides of your property. But at this time of the year you want to get as much sun into your house as you can. Now is the time to prune plants blocking out your sunlight, if possible.
2. Let the sun in
When the sun is shining, remember to open curtains and blinds during the day, especially on the northern side of your home, but also the east (in the morning) and the west (in the afternoon).
However, you might consider leaving south-facing blinds and curtains closed on days when it is colder outside than in as the sun won’t hit those windows.
It’s very common to see homes shut up all day long with the curtains drawn. But before you head off to work or out for the day, opening the blinds and More >
Gardening Through the Cooler Months
May 14th
Winter can create a harsh environment for your garden, especially in cold areas. Growth slows down considerably and problems become more evident when a plant is in a cold-weakened state.
But there are many things you can do to help your garden cope with the cooler months:
- Move potted tropical plants and other warmth loving pots into more protected areas – perhaps onto a verandah or porch. If cold-sensitive plants are growing in the garden or are too heavy to relocate, spray them with a layer of Yates Stressguard. This see-through polymer can provide several degrees of frost protection.
- Reduce watering. Plants require much less water when the weather’s cooler. But when you do give your garden a drink try taking the chill off tap water by mixing in a small amount of hot water. This means it won’t shock the roots so much.
- Construct frames around the plants that are likely to be damaged by the cold or frosts. If supports are already in place it only takes a few minutes to throw a piece of cloth or plastic over them in the evening and remove it in the morning.
- If your garden soil has any drainage problems, winter is the More >
Can I claim my mortgage on my business tax?
May 10th
Many small businesses operate from the owner’s home. This could mean the factory is a shed in the backyard and the office a corner of the kitchen or dining room table.
For others the business can have a separate section of the home or permanent structure on the property used exclusively by the business. The facts of each case will determine what costs can be claimed as a tax deduction.
Business owners are often keen to claim a percentage of the interest on a loan where a mortgage has been taken out to purchase the property. The ability to claim property related expenses will depend on two tests being passed.
The first requires part of the home or the property to be set aside exclusively as a place of business. This would mean the part of the home used for business purposes could not have a dual private usage component. Setting up half of a large rumpus room as an office, with the rest being used for private purposes, would not satisfy this test.
In addition to the exclusive use test the section used for business purposes must be clearly identifiable. This can often mean that there is an entrance for the part used More >
Balconies and Balustrades
May 8th
Balconies and balustrades have come along way over recent years. The choices are now far greater and the safety aspects have improved out of sight. Little ones can no longer easily climb up and wave down precariously at you from your second storey. This is very good news for parents!
Glass is currently one of the most popular material options for balustrading. It works brilliantly on a new house or apartment and is also an excellent way to modernise an existing home under renovation. For obvious reasons glass is also a clear winner for properties with a great view. Glass balustrading is not for the budget conscious, however, and cleaning it can be somewhat of a chore, but glass doesn’t rot and need replacing over time.
The other extremely popular choice these days is the wire balustrade. This simple yet stylish look can instantly complete a coastal weatherboard home giving it that classic nautical theme. Wire can also look great on ground level decking or low level balconies that still need some kind of railing. Internal stair casing also looks chic with wire incorporated into the design.
For a more traditional look, you can’t go past timber. It’s timeless and attractive and More >
Making open plan living work in your home
May 8th
Open plan living is in vogue at the moment – but how do you turn a big open space into a cosy interior that’s easy to live in and doesn’t feel like a warehouse? It’s all about zoning and creating intimate areas without walls.
The best place to start is from the ground up. Use rugs to define your space and then use furniture to help partition spaces.
Display cabinets, such as the Sovita Curio or Forma, are perfect for this – adding sparkle and zing and the opportunity to showcase your treasures.
Turn your lounge seating in on itself to create a healthy conversation area. In this way the back of your lounges and chairs help to create the living space.
Mix different styles of furniture to give the zones more personality. Think a classic contemporary lounge in your ‘living zone’ combined with a wooden farmhouse table in your ‘dining zone’.
The general rule of thumb with big areas is that you need big furniture, big artworks and big patterns which will help to counter the proportions of the room.
Tuck study spaces out of sight and away from the lounge area with either partitions or plants. No thinking about work when you are relaxing (and More >
Mistakes to Avoid When Refinancing
May 2nd
Astute mortgage holders will undergo a comprehensive mortgage check every few years. It makes perfect financial sense to do so given the current competition between banks and non-bank lenders and the regular fluctuation of interest rates.
If you are considering refinancing, be sure to avoid the following oversights:
- Automatically refinancing with your current lender without shopping around – loyalty should not be a consideration in the home loan game!
- Switching loans or lender without being 100% certain of the total costs including discharge fees, establishment fees, legal costs, ongoing fees etc.
- Being enticed by honeymoon rates, which ultimately revert to a higher rate at the end of the introductory period
- Turning short term debt into long-term debt by refinancing to use equity to pay off credit cards without seriously changing your spending behaviour
- Rushing through the process without reading the fine print and making quick decisions just to get a good rate
- Not asking for help from a professional if the process seems too daunting or difficult. A mortgage broker can often end up saving you big dollars.
Refinancing your mortgage means repeating the whole home loan procedure, so be prepared for a thorough and sometimes time consuming process. It’s worthwhile making More >
RBA Cuts Rates by 50 Basis Points
May 1st
The Reserve Bank of Australia has cut interest rates by 50 basis points in an unexpected move that should provide welcome relief to many homeowners.
The reduction takes the official cash rate to 3.75 percent.
Damian Smith CEO of financial comparison site RateCity called the RBA’s decision "a very big move".
"They haven’t moved rates this far since the depths of the Global Financial Crisis," Mr Smith told ninemsn.
"This cut will help thousands of households, with people on a $300,000 mortgage potentially saving around $1000 per year."
But he warns that some banks may be unwilling to pass on the rate cut in full.
"It’s unlikely that all lenders will pass on the full rate cut," Mr Smith said.
"The signals from the big four banks suggest that they will try to hold on to part of this rate cut."
Mr Smith points out that while the central bank has lowered the cash rate by 50 basis points since November, "the big four banks have only passed on around 40 basis points to variable rate home loan customers".
It is the largest cut to the cash rate since a 100 basis point reduction in February 2009, and the first More >
Home Sales Down as Sector Urges Rate Cut
Apr 30th
Australia’s housing sector has called on the reserve bank to deliver a 50 basis point interest rate cut after a survey showed new home sales have fallen to their lowest level in more than a decade.
The Housing Industry Association (HIA), which represents the residential building industry, says new home sales dropped 9.4 per cent, seasonally adjusted, in March 2012, their lowest level in more than 10 years.
Multi-unit sales slumped 6.4 per cent over the same period.
HIA chief economist Harley Dale called on the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to deliver a 50 basis point interest rate cut at its board meeting on Tuesday.
An AAP survey of 16 economists on Friday showed all expected the RBA to cut the cash rate 25 basis points, to 4.00 per cent, this week.
However, Mr Dale said a larger cut was needed to revive the housing sector.
"The bank needs to send a clear signal that it is back on the case of assisting an economy that is clearly weaker than it anticipated in 2012," said Harley Dale.
"It is not too late to turn the situation around and prevent new housing from revisiting a GFC (global financial crisis) low.
"Interest rate cuts, while no panacea, can provide More >
How to get the Interiors Magazine Look
Apr 26th
Many of us could spend hours (possibly weeks) pouring over pictures of hip homes in interiors magazines, and dreaming … If you’ve ever pondered the secrets of these pads’ photogenic success and wanted to emulate them, here are a couple of general tips:
Story time: Most photoshoots capture pictorial vignettes – the sofa, the casually draped throw, the lovely fluffy cushions, the pile of artistically arranged books … It’s not just about the furniture; it’s about what these items say and the story they tell about you and your home.
Go into detail: A photographer’s nightmare is a room with no possessions on show. Editors love details – knick-knacks make a home a home. We’re not thinking for a minute that you cover every space with your old telephone bills and children’s drawings – think knick-knacks, photos of loved ones and think about putting some of your children’s special pics in a frame – and put the bills and clutter out of sight!
Set great store: Good storage is vital – but it doesn’t need to be an expensive built-in: photographically that’s dull. Try a trendy glass cabinet, such as the eye-catching, Forma.
All the little things: Bold doesn’t have to equal expensive. If More >
A Burning Issue
Apr 24th
A recent newspaper article highlighted some alarming information surrounding Victorian house fires. The Herald Sun piece published on March 30 issued a strong warning to home owners after a devastating spate of house fires across the city.
It appears that overloaded electrical systems have overtaken candles as one of the main causes of home blazes. Kitchen accidents and central heating faults are also to blame. Particular hot spots include Melbourne’s inner suburbs which host a high number of older style homes with outdated wiring.
The Melbourne Fire Brigade says that too many televisions, computers, telephones, chargers, games, lamps and clocks all plugged into a single socket or overloading a power board can easily spark a fire.
Kitchen cooking mishaps also play a chief role in minor as well as major home fires. – particularly as Victoria’s population is aging. What can start out as a small problem can quickly become a significant one for an elderly person who resides alone.
Tips to prevent a fire in your home include:
- asking a qualified electrician to check the wiring in your home.
- installing more power points rather than use double adapters and power boards.
- never leaving cooking unattended.
- using guards around open fires.
- cleaning filters in More >
