Your Life

Rising rents and returning kids: The backyard housing boom

- March 13, 2026 3 MIN READ

Lately, people have been telling me they’re considering adding a small dwelling to their backyard… either to generate rental income or to give their grown-up kids a place to live. Despite rising construction costs and higher interest rates, relaxed planning laws are making these builds easier than they once were. But is adding a granny… Read more »

Your Life

The premium you pay to live in the right school catchment

- August 1, 2025 2 MIN READ

Getting your kids living in the right school catchment area is a big priority for many Australian families. But it comes with a premium price tag. Using a new custom boundary analysis, property research group Cotality compared property values inside popular public high school catchments with comparable homes in the same suburbs, just outside the… Read more »

Your Life

How to boost your borrowing power

- February 21, 2025 2 MIN READ

With a rate cut comes an increase in property values … But the higher prices might mean you now need to borrow more. Here’s how to make yourself more appealing to a lender. Be honest with yourself While rate cuts will improve borrowing power, be warned they won’t necessarily bring homeownership dreams closer in reach.… Read more »