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Strata

October

Apartment repair laws create extra burden for owners

Tighter regulations on repairs are set to force owners of a four-apartment block to pay over $500,000 instead of $70,000.

  • Campbell Kwan

April

The 22nd-level, three-bedroom unit at 22F, 5 Bayview St, Runaway Bay in Gold Coast’s Runaway Bay sold at auction for $2.47 million.

Buyer plays up strata cost fears before $2.47m apartment purchase

A local purchaser of a Gold Coast unit used the threat of an extra $25,000 special levy hanging over the property to try to put his rivals off.

  • Michael Bleby
Melbourne’s abundant affordable unit offering could provide the city with a competitive edge in attracting a diverse workforce, including first-time buyers and those seeking more affordable housing options according to Suburbtrends.

The suburbs where you can buy a unit for under $400,000

Home buyers looking to score units under $400,000 will not easily find them in Sydney or Brisbane, but Melbourne and Perth still offer plenty, at least for now.

  • Nila Sweeney
Vice Admiral David Johnston.

New Defence chief; Investors brace for trade war; Dimon’s big risks

Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.

A more practical application of the act would save money, says Owners Corporation Network executive director Karen Stiles.

Strata reforms send bills soaring from just $5000 to $60,000

The NSW government made sweeping changes to prevent horrific development failures. Did it go too far?

  • Deborah Cassrels
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February

Lendlease’s epic slide started more than a quarter-century ago

After many false starts, the once-venerable property group’s latest chief faces an uphill task convincing investors he can turn around the troubled business.

  • Michael Bleby

What the new strata laws on apartments mean for you

NSW, Victoria and Queensland are reviewing their unit regulations, but it’s still up to owners to take action against dodgy contracts.

  • Jimmy Thomson

January

The sharp increase in apartment supply in Melbourne over the past five years has dampened price growth according to CoreLogic.

The suburbs where units tripled in value over 20 years

Melbourne unit market outperformed Sydney and Brisbane in the past 20 years, but may not keep the leading position over the next decade amid oversupply of apartments in the past five years.

  • Nila Sweeney

Three things you should know before buying your coastal retreat

Investing in apartments near the beach has a sustained appeal for a variety of reasons – but be aware, life is different out there.

  • Jimmy Thomson

Investors to miss out on Mascot Towers rescue plan

Most owners will get only modest compensation in the exit offering – but investors will get nothing except some tax deductions.

  • Jimmy Thomson

How to avoid buying an apartment in a problem building

Owners of units in defect-ridden Mascot Towers have a chance to put their financial nightmare behind them – but it comes at a price.

  • Jimmy Thomson

Time to curb the real costs of living in an apartment

There are things you can do to make strata life better –  but they shouldn’t cost anything.

  • Jimmy Thomson

December 2023

Three traps to avoid as more apartments come on stream

As state governments get to grips with the housing affordability crisis, this is what buyers and investors should be watching in the new year.

  • Jimmy Thomson

How to party without being an animal

These are the five things that will drive your neighbours nuts – this is what you can do to avoid them.

  • Jimmy Thomson

Good news for apartments as defects crackdown bites

Buyer confidence is low, but help is on the way after the release of three reports.

  • Jimmy Thomson
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Apartment block owners were asked to approve a $50,000-plus budget item for maintenance even though the lifts were still under warranty.

Up the garden path with dodgy developers

What’s missing from the new strata laws is any reference to the scandal of embedded networks or, indeed, any duty of care by strata managers.

  • Jimmy Thomson

November 2023

What constitutes a visitor? Is it someone who drops in for an hour for a cup of tea or a romantic partner who stays all weekend?

Visitor parking is driving apartment owners mad

What defines a “visitor”? Is it someone who drops in for an hour for a cup of tea or the romantic partner of a resident who stays all weekend?

  • Jimmy Thomson

This is the one thing you shouldn’t miss when you buy a new apartment

The initial AGM of a new block may feel like another meeting that you could happily skip, but your new neighbours really need you to be there.

  • Jimmy Thomson

Hell on wheels as e-bikes face bans from apartments

Charging lithium-ion batteries inside unit blocks is rapidly becoming a burning issue for strata committees – and firefighters.

  • Jimmy Thomson

October 2023

How to check if your apartment developer is telling fibs

NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler’s ratings are so valuable that some companies are falsely saying they’ve got them when they haven’t even been tested.

  • Jimmy Thomson

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/strata-hqk