We’ve been so worried about plastic shopping bags, but what about the plastic we use to wrap our lunches? As a Mum there are some things I am not imaginative enough to work out. What do you suggest as substitutes for freezer wrap to put meat or cakes etc in, and for lunch? Like their [...]

AUSTRALIAN housing markets displayed a generally resilient performance in 2011, reflecting the inherent security of residential real estate in this country, particularly when compared with housing markets in similar open-market economies. The year was always set to be a period of correction for Australia’s housing markets following the unsustainable growth in house prices recorded through [...]

  If you’re a parent, you likely have several giant bins filled to the brim with toys for your little ones. And with Christmas (ho ho ho!) over you’re likely to have gotten toys in all shapes and sizes.  And while I’m no bah humbug, the relative size of our children’s toy boxes has become [...]

Ongoing discount loans lose momentum Borrowers’ preference for fixed rate home loans is continuing at an unrelenting pace regardless of recent cash rate cuts, national loan approval data from Mortgage Choice has revealed. Fixed rate loans accounted for 24% of all new home loan approvals during December 2011, up from 21% in November and well [...]

    To download your copy of the New Hope Newsletter, please click here!  

While swimming is a great form of exercise, the downside is that pools require vast amounts of water. Just to fill the average backyard pool takes 50,000 litres – and that’s roughly one third of the water used by an average person in a year. Even more water is needed for regular top-ups. All up, [...]

At Lois Buckett Real Estate we take pride in taking care of our clients and it is always heart-warming to recieve testimonials confirming that we are doing the right thing. Below are 2 of the more recent ones that were recieved in both our Sales and Rental departments. For Elise Benson – Sales Consultant: I [...]

Home loans by value fell in October and remained flat over the year, suggesting the housing sector remains stagnant. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said on Monday that total housing finance by value fell 2.5 per cent in October, seasonally adjusted, to $20.458 billion. The ABS data also showed that the value of home [...]

The property market will be drawing a collective sigh of relief as the year comes to a close. As we look back on how the market performed in 2011, we may well see an overall correction of up to 10 per cent – a significant drop for the property market but a fraction of the [...]

The Reserve Bank of Australia board has cut the official interest rate by 25 basis points to 4.25 per cent, giving mortgage holders and borrowers a pre-Christmas reprieve. The RBA announced the rate cut at 2.30pm AEDT today following the board’s final meeting for the year. It’s the second interest rate cut in as many [...]

Economists are divided on whether borrowers will get a second interest rate cut in as many months on Tuesday. Seven of the 14 economists surveyed by AAP say the RBA will cut the cash rate to 4.25 per cent from 4.5 per cent on December 6. On Melbourne Cup day, the Reserve Bank of Australia [...]

We’re on a roll with environmentally-friendly work tips and here are five more great ideas if you have the ear of the boss. 1. Cleaning Products Whether you’re using an independent cleaning person or the building management has staff in place, now is the time to switch cleaning products to greener versions to drastically reduce [...]