How were we to know banks would be giving us interest for borrowing money? The devil is in a detail and the house prices in 2004. Would you like to purchase a house? Fictional Real Agent asked. I was tempted to reply, as my daughters do when you think up something to do that you hope will really please them, but then, I said: Only if I can't find instruments blunt enough to stick in my eyes.

D Days Down they go: home rates at 5 per cent

Some fixed mortgage interest rates are set to plunge below 5 per cent within days as lenders woo borrowers ahead of expected rate cuts by the Reserve Bank.
· Deflation DownUnder [SMH ]
· House prices have doubled over the last eight years yet stamp duty has tripled [DT]