What would you think about this? - Especially for the future outlook....

Compared to last week, I can see that the housing auction rates in some states have increased, while in others they continue to drop.

In Australia, the peak period for asbestos construction materials was from the 1940s to the mid-1980s.

Common locations and uses include:

• Roofing: Corrugated roofing sheets and tiles.
• External Walls: Fibro/cement cladding boards.
• Wet Areas: Wall linings in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundries.
• Piping: Downpipes and ventilation flues.
• Flooring: Vinyl floor tile underlay.
• Ceilings & Attics: Ceiling panels or insulation layers (sometimes loose-fill asbestos).

Among these, loose-fill asbestos is the most dangerous form. During the 1960s and 1970s, it was installed in the roof spaces of some homes under the brand name "Mr Fluffy", particularly across NSW and the ACT. Additionally, please note that even houses built after 1985 might still contain asbestos if leftover old stock materials were used.

Australian major city auction data continued to weaken this week.

📉 Brisbane: 20% clearance rate (43% same period last year)
📉 Sydney: 47% (69% last year)
📉 Melbourne: 52% (66% last year)
📉 Canberra: 41% (57% last year)
📉 Adelaide: 54% (75% last year)

If last year was a "seller's market", it now looks more and more like buyers are regaining the upper hand. High interest rates, declining affordability, and rising inventory are gradually cooling the Australian property market. For those preparing to buy a home, patience might be more important than impulse. The era of "cash is king" may be making a comeback.

Australian major city auction data continued to weaken this week.

📉 Brisbane: 20% clearance rate (43% same period last year)
📉 Sydney: 47% (69% last year)
📉 Melbourne: 52% (66% last year)
📉 Canberra: 41% (57% last year)
📉 Adelaide: 54% (75% last year)

If last year was a "seller's market", it now looks more and more like buyers are regaining the upper hand. High interest rates, declining affordability, and rising inventory are gradually cooling the Australian property market. For those preparing to buy a home, patience might be more important than impulse. The era of "cash is king" may be making a comeback.

I build web scrapers and put this one out free on Apify. It pulls Domain.com.au property listings into a downloadable dataset paste any search URL (sale or rent, any filters) and get price, address, beds/baths/parking, photos, and optionally agent contacts, nearby schools, and market insights.

The part I’m happy with: it gets past the 1,000-results-per-search limit most tools hit. A recent nationwide search returned 5,576 of 5,578 listings (~99%) in about 14 minutes, deduplicated.

Free to use right now. If you want a field added or something breaks, tell me I’m actively improving it. [https://apify.com/dz\_omar/domain-scraper?fpr=smcx63\]

If you are building a house in Australia, especially in a bushfire prone area, there is one crucial element you cannot overlook: the BAL Rating (Bushfire Attack Level).

1️⃣ What is BAL?

BAL measures a building's potential exposure to bushfire danger, primarily assessing:

• Radiant heat
• Embers
• Direct flame contact

The ratings scale from lowest to highest risk:
BAL-LOW → BAL-12.5 → BAL-19 → BAL-29 → BAL-40 → BAL-FZ (Flame Zone - Highest)

2️⃣ Why Are Doors and Windows So Critical?

Doors and windows are often the weakest links in a building's defense:

• Glass may shatter under high temperatures.
• Gaps may let embers crawl in.
• Framing systems can deform.

Therefore, windows and doors must strictly comply with the corresponding fire-protection standards.

3️⃣ Window & Door Requirements by BAL Rating (Summary)

• BAL-12.5 / 19
  • Toughened glass
  • Fire-rated metal mesh
  • Sealing treatment
• BAL-29
  • Double toughened glass
  • Higher sealing performance
  • Fire-rated metal mesh
• BAL-40 / FZ
  • Specialized fire-tested systems
  • Special glass configurations
  • Strict system certification

4️⃣ Compliance and Standards

In Australia, doors and windows in designated bushfire zones must comply with:

• NCC (National Construction Code)
• AS 3959 (Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas)
• AS 2047 (Windows in buildings)

Higher BAL ratings demand more rigorous door and window systems. Choosing the wrong products can directly disrupt your council approvals and the final Occupation Certificate (OC).

What are everyone's thoughts on this waterfront-adjacent mansion in Hunters Hill? It has been forced into an mortgagee auction because the owner defaulted on their mortgage and couldn’t repay their debts.

Based on my analysis, the property sits within a Heritage Conservation Area. The streetscape features a relatively uniform mix of modern and contemporary Australian architectural styles, while this specific home is built in the Queen Anne Revival style, which offers timeless appeal. However, the downside is the strict limitation on alterations and additions, as anything would require Strick DA approval, which is notoriously difficult to get here.

Aside from that, everything else looks quite positive. The area is highly scenic and secure, and the land sits on an elevated slope well outside any flood zones. There are also no pipe easements on the block. The land value was recorded at $5.25 million in 2025. I estimate the final auction price could easily top $7 to $8+ million, assuming it doesn't pass in.

What does everyone think about this?

Generally speaking, we wouldn't encourage people to buy a property near high voltage powerlines, towers, or substations. There are well-known concerns – both objective and subjective.

But in reality, due to many practical reasons, some people do end up considering homes close to these electricity facilities. In this article, we will talk about how to reduce the negative impacts of such infrastructures from a scientific perspective.

1. Radiation Concerns – Distance Matters More Than Voltage

This is the number one worry for most people. High-voltage powerlines do create electromagnetic fields, but they’re fundamentally different from nuclear radiation. The strength of the field drops off very quickly with distance.

For example, even for a 500kV line, once you’re more than about 40 metres away, the radiation level is already very low, and science suggests it poses no significant health risks for the majority of people (Image 2 - top).

Australia’s AS 7000:2016 standard also sets out the minimum legal clearance distances – and in practice, approved building zones are usually well beyond these minimums:

• 66–132kV: at least 10m horizontal clearance
• 220–330kV: at least 15m horizontal clearance
• 500kV+: at least 20m or more

On top of that, survey crews often use laser scanning to map the powerlines and their surroundings in 3D, so analysts can ensure trees, roofs and other structures all sit safely outside the buffer zone (Image 2 - bottom).

2. What to Watch for Near Different Power Facilities

1️⃣ Property Near High Voltage Powerlines

• Avoid places that sit too close horizontally, even if technically within standards. Land close to lines is often set aside as a public easement for maintenance works (Image 3).
• If your home faces powerlines, it’s better if trees or neighbouring buildings sit in between, which helps with both liveability and long-term value.

2️⃣ House Near Transmission Tower

• Again, steer clear of houses sitting too close (Image 4).
• Try not to have bedrooms or main appliances positioned on the side nearest the tower. Towers are more likely to attract lightning strikes – that’s a safety consideration.
• For single-storey homes, it’s generally not a great idea to add a second level if the tower is right nearby.

3️⃣ House Near Substation

• Best to avoid homes where the balcony, backyard or front yard directly faces a substation. Side-on or rear-facing is better.
• Unlike towers and lines, substations have staff regularly coming in for maintenance or urgent works. If your home faces it directly, you’ll notice both the visual clutter and the noise.
• If you’re buying a unit opposite a substation, a lower floor might actually be better than a high floor. Many substations (e.g. Ausgrid ones) are enclosed with several-metre-high walls, so if you can’t see it, you won’t be as bothered – the classic “out of sight, out of mind” principle (Image 5).

👉Final Word for Buying a Property Near Powerlines

Living near power infrastructure isn’t always avoidable, but if you know what to look out for, you can reduce risks and stress. A bit of smart due diligence goes a long way in protecting both your peace of mind and your property value.

A serialized series explaining the origins and evolution of Federation architecture: Queen Anne, Arts & Crafts, red bricks and white windows, leadlight glass, and why Ku-ring-gai boasts 26 state-level and 688 local heritage conservation items. [From Image1 - 7]