The right of everyone to have a say in development is at the heart of modern urban planning. But as homes become ever more expensive, questions are being asked about whether it is OK to oppose housing developments in cities. Battlelines are being drawn between so-called NIMBYs – people who say “Not In My Backyard”…
![The Price of a Big Mac Across the World [Infographic]](https://cdn.propertyupdate.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/save-money-270x200.jpg)
What can a Big Mac tell us about currency rates? As it turns out, quite a lot. The Big Mac Index, created by The Economist in 1986, started as a simple tool to make currency theory more digestible. Now, it’s a widely-known measure in popular economics to assess and compare currency valuations. In short, the Big…
Working from home (WFH) is a type of flexible working arrangement that allows an employee to work from a remote location outside of corporate offices. Before COVID-19, just 13 per cent of people aged over 18 with a job reported WFH all or most days. Since the pandemic, however, this trend has shifted significantly. According…
If you’re planning to put your home on the market, it’s crucial to ensure that each section of your property is in perfect condition. This includes your garden if you have one. Even if you have the best-maintained house in the world, a run-down lawn can dramatically decrease your property’s value. If you want to…
Are you interested in launching a custom home-building company? Well, before you can start providing people with the houses of their dreams, there are a few steps you’ll need to take to ensure you are ready for the challenges you’ll undoubtedly face. In this post, we’ll explain the process of getting such an exciting venture…
Cryptocurrencies and other digital assets have enjoyed an astonishing rise into mainstream consciousness in recent years. Despite all the hype – perhaps partly because of it – investing in them can still expose us to serious risks. Last year, Australians lost A$2.74 billion to scams. Investment scams topped the list of ways we were fleeced,…
This week a Senate inquiry will look at the federal government’s controversial legislation to cap international student numbers in Australia from next year. University-commissioned research predicts caps will cause a significant loss of revenue and jobs, including flow-on effects on the broader economy. But my new report for the ANU’s Migration Hub, argues there are…
A lot has happened to the economy since COVID struck, and reading the economic tea leaves has become more difficult. Many of the gains for many Australians in 2020 and 2021 were artificial and didn’t last. The COVID Supplement temporarily doubled JobSeeker, for example. JobKeeper paid workers what their employers could not. As these measures…
The housing shortage in Melbourne (and more broadly – across Victoria) is a multifaceted issue driven by several interrelated factors. Understanding these causes is crucial for developing effective strategies to address the shortage and improve housing availability and affordability. 1. Rapid Population Growth Victoria and Melbourne in particular have experienced significant population growth over the…
Not a day goes by without a headline about a victim being scammed and losing money. We are constantly warned about new scams and staying safe from cybercriminals. Scamwatch has no shortage of resources, too. So why are people still getting scammed, and sometimes spectacularly so? Scammers use sophisticated psychological techniques. They exploit our deepest…
