House and Home

As the population of the Japanese village of Nagoro shrank, many buildings in the town were left abandoned. Tsukimi Ayano is one of the few residents left and has come up with a novel way to populate it — with dolls.

Lynda Mackillican suspects anyone struggling with the cost of living, insecure housing or mounting pressure to live more sustainably will draw inspiration from her new home.

Central Queenslanders are making tens of thousands of dollars by converting their properties to short-term rentals. Experts warn people need to read the fine print before they open their doors. 

In the decade since Emerald's Sharron Booth first installed solar panels there have been changes to how their isolators are kept safe. That became all too apparent when flames engulfed part of her rooftop system one recent weekday morning.

Esmond Dorney is widely celebrated for his groundbreaking modernist buildings in Tasmania and Melbourne, but about 100 of his designs are missing.

The top 10 locations attracting dozens of enquiries on a single property across the state have been revealed.  

Urban heat islands are known to drive up ambient temperatures, but could light-coloured roofs be the silver bullet in reducing Australia’s suburban swelter?

As more people join the waiting list for public housing, over-crowding is becoming more common, and families are facing increasingly desperate situations.

Designers of "earth-sheltered" homes say interest in living underground is rising as the risk of bushfires increases and more days of extreme heat are forecast.

Almost 3 million apartments or townhouses in Australia are covered by a strata scheme. What happens when it causes trouble?

With home gym, rooftop spa, indoor swimming pool and whole-floor tennis court, this 10-storey, single family residence would look at home among the apartment towers of the Gold Coast. 

We know the impact hot weather can have on the environment, but what does it do to your body?

Decluttering expert Robyn Amott demonstrates 18 cleaning to-dos to refresh your home for spring.

An African migrant community and a group of older women are turning to co-housing developments in response to rising homelessness and being frozen out of the housing market.

The building, which had sweeping ocean views, was the centre of controversy for decades, with neighbours even launching a court bid to have the newly built palatial residence knocked down.

Medium- and high-density development in established suburbs is being spruiked as the solution to Australia's housing crisis. But there are still some risks. 

A property listed for rent for $250 per week in Ballarat, with an outhouse and a missing weatherboard, leads to criticism of Victorian laws designed to protect renters' rights.

For some, clutter is the source of anxiety and distress; for others, poor mental health causes disorganisation. Either way understanding your relationship to mess can be empowering, writes Erika Penney.

Adelaide homebuyers express frustration at delays plaguing the builder Metricon, with one saying she has been impacted "financially, emotionally, mentally" — but the company's general manager says construction is back on track.

Would-be home builders in regional Victoria are becoming more scrupulous than ever about who they engage, real estate agents say, amid news that Harmac Group enters administration with 50 sites under construction.

Canberra to phase out wood heaters by 2045 after report finds 'no safe level of air pollution'. The change responds to recommendations by ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Sophie Lewis

In a new development with lot sizes as small as 68 square metres, and the fastest-growing population in regional Australia, residents are going out of their way to create a sense of community.

Home ownership is becoming less accessible and more people than ever are renting, but stories about renovation on TV, in film and in literature continue to have a powerful effect on us. Why do audiences keep coming back to renovation stories?

With limited affordable options available, pregnant Courtney Louise and her young family found themselves stuck in a mould-infested house for five long months, seeking help from her real estate provider in vain.

Allan "Clarkie" Clarke's 32-year tenure on prime Sunshine Coast land will end when the property's new owner gets started on a luxury unit complex.