NEW houses in Australia’s capital cities are being built on plots of land that are up to one third smaller than 10 years ago, says industry analyst BIS Shrapnel. BIS Shrapnel’s report, Outlook for Residential Land, says property developers are now producing smaller lots to encourage demand. The higher density of housing also boosts the developers’ revenues. “Median lot sizes have shrunk by between 14 and 32 per cent across the capital cities over the...
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OPINION by Tim O’Dwyer M.A., LL.B Solicitor Consumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au What do you do when a property you have contracted to sell is damaged (by flood, fire or whatever) before settlement? What do you do if you are the buyer of that property? These critical questions arose for more than a few sellers and buyers across Queensland during the State’s extensive flooding of December 2010 and January 2011. A year later, with Queenslanders currently remembering...
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OPINIONby Tim O’Dwyer M.A., LL.BSolicitorConsumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au The saleslady told her first lie when Nurse Betty, as I’ll call her, noticed that the newly renovated highset house she liked adjoined a park and creek. “Any flooding here?” she asked. “Not a problem,” replied the saleslady. Most of us believe that nurses are very trustworthy – as surveys regularly show. I first really trusted and appreciated nurses during the big cleanup after Queensland’s 1974 Australia Day...
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OPINIONby Tim O’Dwyer M.A., LL.BSolicitorConsumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au If a good Samaritan wants to buy you a property, watch out for any equitable strings attached! After Charles Irvine and Soozie Cooper met through an internet dating service in March 2006, they entered into a sexual relationship. Charles was a successful businessman while Soozie was less financially secure. She had a job, owned her home and was paying off a bank mortgage. Charles’ and Soozie’s relationship lasted...
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