The vine-covered cottage nestled in a picturesque valley that could be YOURS for a very affordable price
City-dwellers fantasising about escaping the rat race for the countryside have been left shocked by the price of a quaint Aussie cottage.
The bite-sized home in Birralee in the whimsically named Meander Valley in Northern Tasmania is accepting starting offers of $335,000.
'Immerse yourself in the serene ambiance of the countryside, listen to the native birds and wildlife, and soak in the peace and quiet,' the listing reads.
'Experience the joys of rural living while still being conveniently located near local amenities. The property offers easy access to roads, ensuring a seamless connection to nearby towns and services.'
The duck-egg blue cottage is only minutes away from a five-star bakery in nearby Exeter and is a 40-minute drive from Launceston.
The home is draped in flowering vines and surrounded by a prim garden and acres of forest described as a 'canvas' for its future owner's dream home.
The listing quickly went viral online with one Aussie commenting: 'That's it. I am moving to Tassie. This would be perfect for me'.
'I think I found our forever home. Close to Exeter Bakery,' a second wrote.
'Tassie? A little cottage? Needs some work but very cute,' a third said.
'One more inconvenience and I'm running away to Tassie. This property looks beautiful,' a fourth agreed.
However, not everyone shared the vision.
'So the house is, a garden shed?' one wrote.
'Too expensive,' another said.
'I love it when people see a house on the internet or some real estate's website and decide to buy only to find out it needs a lot of work,' a third realist wrote.
The home does not contain a bathroom and is not a class 1A Building, meaning it is not suitable for living.
However, some viewers noticed the value of the property lay in its 25acre footprint.
One woman offered her friend, 'wanna move to Tassie lol cabin can be the first house and you build your dream one on 25acres'.
The listing said the Ginns Road property contained several desirable attributes.
'Rural Living zoning (Meander Valley Council); Natural spring fed dam; Natural seasonal creek,' it said.
'Mix of cleared land and bush; Gravel driveway; Three water tanks.'
The 'fully fenced' established permaculture garden with fruit and vegetable trees was also considered a major drawcard.
'This versatile land is perfect for a variety of uses, whether you envision a charming cottage, a spacious family home, or a cozy hut nestled among the trees. The possibilities are endless!' potential buyers were told.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The suite life of Anna and Tim Robards! Bachelor couple reveal shock news they are leaving Sydney and their very unique new living arrangements
The Robards are on the move! Anna Robards exclusively revealed to Daily Mail Australia that she and her husband Tim are leaving Sydney and moving their young family to the Gold Coast next week. The couple share daughters Elle, four, and Ruby, one, and met and fell in love on The Bachelor back in 2013 and have called Sydney their home ever since. She said the happy family purchased a residence at lavish hotel Mondrian in Burleigh Heads and will be settling in there on Monday. 'We're heading up to the Gold Coast. We brought a property up there called the Mondrian. They've got different hotels around the world,' she said. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'We brought a property there around four years ago and it's only just settling now. So we're actually going to be moving up there.' 'Everything is happening this week. We're moving up there on Monday. I'm staying for a day and then I'll be coming back [to Sydney],' Anna added. 'We wanted a bit of a change. We don't know how long we'll be there. We're still going to keep our place here [in Sydney]. 'So we will be back and forth a lot for work. We just thought it would be really nice to get away from Sydney winter for a little bit. 'My business partner lives up there too. I've never lived overseas. We've never done anything like this as a family, or even individually.' The Mondrian residences are described as 'coastal luxury' with restaurants, bars and a pool club sitting on the ground floor on the shore of Burleigh Heads. Spa and wellness treatments are also offered on site and all properties have a stunning view of Burleigh Beach. As for her daughters, Anna said Elle is at an age where she is beginning to make friends so is 'a little bit sad' to be moving away from Sydney. 'I think [Elle's] a little bit sad going to the Gold Coast because she won't be able to see her friends,' she said. Spa and wellness treatments are also offered on site and all properties have a stunning view of Burleigh Beach 'They're starting to get to that age where they're making good friends and they don't want to leave them. 'But I know she'll make a lot of good friends while on the Gold Coast... She's great at making friends.' Anna added that Elle will officially be in primary school next year, which the influencer feels 'nervous' about but says she knows her daughter will 'thrive'. As for Anna's husband Tim, 42, who she married in 2018, he will be handling the initial set-up of the move. The blonde beauty will only get to spend one day on the Gold Coast after they move in before she has to fly back to Sydney for work. She will be attending a Huggies activation event at Westfield Bondi Junction, which will start next Wednesday on June 11 from 9am. Anna has been an ambassador for the nappy brand for four years, and is currently promoting the company's latest 'hero range' Huggies SkinProtect Nappies. Huggies, in collaboration with Hello Skin, has produced 'cheeky' limited edition Bum Masks for parents and will celebrate with an immersive pop-up at Bondi Junction. Anna and pediatric skincare expert Dr Deshan Sebaratnam will be in attendance at the four-day event as they invite parents along for the free experience. Thousands of visitors can receive skincare tips from Dr Deshan, take part in fun family photo moments and enjoy free pastries and babycinos. They will also be treated to take home samples of the new Huggies range and the limited edition Huggies Bum Mask. 'It's cheeky, pun intended,' Anna joked, adding the Bum Mask is a 'tongue-in-cheek' way of Huggies saying they'll 'look after parents' as well as their babies. 'I actually tried it,' she laughed, when asked if she had sampled the product which she describes is a 'face mask for your bottom'. 'Nobody was home. You have to lie on your stomach. You can either get someone to help or you can put it on yourself. It is quite relaxing,' she said.
Scottish Sun
15 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Shoppers race to Morrisons to nab ‘miracle' £5 buy that's scanning for 62p – it revives dry & bleached hair in no time
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SHOPPERS are racing to get to their nearest Morrisons store, eager to nab a popular haircare buy that's been massively slashed. So if your hair is feeling dry and brittle, or you've bleached your locks and are looking for an affordable way to ensure your hair stays feeling soft, you've come to the right place and will need to check this out. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Bargain hunters are being urged to "run" to Morrisons to check out the epic haircare sale Credit: Getty 4 So if you want luscious locks but without breaking the bank, we've got you covered Credit: Facebook/Yellow sticker shopping tips, tricks and hauls 4 This deep treatment buy is now scanning at just 62p Credit: Facebook/Yellow sticker shopping tips, tricks and hauls 4 One shopper nabbed 19 bottles of the stuff, along with seven bottles of Aussie Strength & Length Shampoo and two bottles of Aussie Strength & Length Conditioner Credit: Facebook/Yellow sticker shopping tips, tricks and hauls And don't worry if you're on a budget, as thanks to Morrisons, you can now nab the 'miracle' product for just 62p - yes, you heard that correctly. It comes after one savvy shopper was browsing their local Morrisons store, when they spotted that numerous beauty buys had been slashed. Thrilled with their finds, which included the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moisture treatment, the bargain hunter took to social media to alert others to the epic discounts. Posting on Yellow sticker shopping tips, tricks and hauls, a private Facebook group with 239,300 members, the anonymous shopper shared a snap of their huge haul and wrote: 'RUN to Morrisons. 'Aussie, TRESemme and L'Oréal haircare clearance. '3 Minute Miracle Moisture treatment only 62p!!' The anonymous user later confirmed that the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moisture treatment had been labelled at a reduced price of £1.20, but when it was scanned through the till, was even cheaper at just 62p. As a result of the heavily discounted price, this bargain hunter made sure to stock up and bought 19 bottles of the Aussie buy - yes, you heard that correctly. The Morrisons shopper also nabbed seven bottles of Aussie Strength & Length Shampoo, two bottles of Aussie Strength & Length Conditioner and two bottles of TRESemme Heat Defence Care & Protect Spray. Facebook users were left open-mouthed by the impressive discounts and eagerly flocked to the comments to express this. I hate the way my blonde hair goes orange, so tried a £10 product to get it ashy again… the results speak for themselves One person said: 'Wow I love these.' Another added: 'No way!! Bargain!!' But it's not just those on Facebook loving this popular 'miracle' product. A 225ml bottle of the stuff is normally £5.25 from Waitrose and £4.99 from Boots, but now for just 62p, we think it's a real steal. No way!! Bargain!! Facebook user The Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moisture treatment is infused with Australian Macadamia Nut Oil and according to the online listing, promises 'amazing results'. It is a deep treatment that is said to 'revive dry, brittle hair in need of TLC'. The vegan, cruelty-free formula is free from animal-derived ingredients and has a 'sweet, yummy scent for hair that smells divine.' What are the biggest hair care mistakes? Anabel Kingsley, Consultant Trichologist and Brand President at Philip Kingsley spoke exclusively to Fabulous. Not looking after your scalp Your scalp is an extension of the skin on your forehead and it should be given similar attention and care to the skin on your face. Scalp health is vital to healthy hair growth. Your scalp is your hair's support system, and a flaky or inflamed scalp can contribute to hair loss and also impact the quality of hairs as they emerge from the follicle. Do cleanse and tone your scalp frequently. Try to leave no more than 2 days between shampoos. High heat styling The most common cause of hair damage is high heat styling – either with a blow dryer or straighteners. While it may take a little longer, a low to medium heat setting will give you great styling results, but without dryness, breakage and split ends. You should also always use a heat protective product such as our Daily Damage Defence and don't hold your dryer right next to your strands. Not eating well Even if you're using the best products in the world, if you aren't eating well your hair's condition and rate of growth won't be at its optimal. Hair is a dispensable tissue as it isn't needed for physical survival. This means nutrients are first used to keep essential cells functioning, with hair receiving them last. This multi-use product can be used in three different ways - either as a daily deep conditioner, a three minute treatment or an intensive mask. So if you've got dry hair that's in serious need of some TLC, a big squeeze of this bargain buy is sure to be the 'ultimate treat to take brittle, dry and damaged hair from lost-cause to luscious.' Not only this, but your locks are said to be left 'heroically hydrated and deeply conditioned for up to three days - all while retaining lightweight moisture.' Rave reviews And online shoppers are clearly loving it, as it has raved up hundreds of five star reviews online. Not only have many said their hair has become 'softer' after using it, but those with bleached locks praised the effective product. As soon as it touches my hair it becomes softer. I can easily run my fingers through it. It washes out beautifully too Online shopper One woman beamed: 'I bought this a few weeks ago and I use it once a month. I have bleached hair and this is amazing stuff! 'Makes my hair soft and not dry or dehydrated like some hair masks/conditioners do. I would definitely recommend.' Rush hair expert reveals how to repair damaged hair TINA Farey, Editorial director at Rush Hair, shares her advice… HOW TO RESTORE DAMAGED HAIR Whilst you can't fully reserve the effects of damaged hair, you can stop the problem from growing. Depending on the condition of your hair, I'd recommend getting a trim every six to eight weeks - this will prevent any split ends from travelling further up the hair shaft, which weakens the hair's overall structure and leads to more breakage. Even just an inch of the ends will completely transform the appearance of your hair – trust me. When it comes to products to help restore damaged hair, Goldwell's Rich Repair Treatment Mask is a firm favourite – strengthening damaged locks to be healthy and shiny once again. HOW TO PREVENT DAMAGE My number one tip is to always use a heat protectant – even if you're only blow-drying your hair. Consistent heat styling without one will leave your hair open to heat damage. I'd also recommend refraining from over-washing your hair as this can strip the hair of its natural oils – nobody wants a dry and irritated scalp! And finally, swap your sleek, slick back for a hair down day! They may be in fashion at the moment, but over time all that tension on your strands from being pulled will wreak havoc on your hair follicles – this could lead to thinning and bald spots in areas where the hair is constantly pulled. A second chimed in: 'I have been using this for many years and I wouldn't use anything else, it revives my hair every time.' Whilst someone else penned: 'I've tried very expensive conditioners and super cheap ones. Aussie is by far the best. 'As soon as it touches my hair it becomes softer. I can easily run my fingers through it. It washes out beautifully too, leaving my hair so smooth.' Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
The best mortgage rates for first-time buyers: What deals are available and how long should you fix for?
If you're hoping to buy your first home soon, searching for the best mortgage rates for first-time buyers is an essential part of the process. Data from Zoopla revealed the property market saw the busiest May in four years, amid an increased number of properties for sale and relaxed affordability stress tests, allowing many first-time buyers to borrow more. This is despite April's Stamp Duty hike, which means first-time buyers now pay more tax when purchasing a property after they saw their exemption trimmed back. Getting the best possible mortgage deal is important because it can make a big difference to your monthly repayments - and the interest you pay overall. Mortgage rates for the rest of 2025 are widely expected to trend downwards but no big falls are expected, so first-time buyers should compare mortgage deals to secure one that's right for them, as soon as they decide to buy. > Compare mortgage deals and get a free mortgage in principle with L&C * Best mortgage rates for first-time buyers at different LTVs The deals below are the best rates aimed at first-time buyers. The best rates for home movers or those remortgaging may be different. The rates and repayments below are based on a purchase of £226,000 and a term of 25 years. Mortgage rates change often, so it's a good idea to find the deal that could be best for you by comparing rates and getting a mortgage in principle *, with our broker partner L&C. Best mortgage rates for first-time buyers with a 5% deposit Two-year fix: HSBC has a two-year fixed rate at 5.05 per cent with a £0 product fee and £500 cashback. Monthly repayments are £1,260. Five-year fix: HSBC has a five-year fixed rate at 4.89 per cent with a £0 product fee and £500 cashback. Monthly repayments are £1,240. Best mortgage rates for first-time buyers with a 10% deposit Two-year fix: Furness has a two-year fixed rate at 4.45 per cent with a £999 product fee and £250 cashback. Monthly repayments are £1,130. Five-year fix: Leek has a five-year fixed rate at 4.38 per cent with a £995 product fee. Monthly repayments are £1,122. Best mortgage rates for first-time buyers with a 15% deposit Two-year fix: Furness has a two-year fixed rate at 4.17 per cent with a £999 product fee and £250 cashback. Monthly repayments are £1,037. Five-year fix: HSBC has a five-year fixed rate at 4.32 per cent with a £999 product fee. Monthly repayments are £1,048. Best mortgage rates for first-time buyers with a 25% deposit Two-year fix: Barclays has a two-year fixed rate at 4.28 per cent with a £0 product fee. Monthly repayments are £922. Five-year fix: HSBC has a five-year fixed rate at 4.28 per cent with a £0 product fee. Monthly repayments are £920. Best mortgage rates for first-time buyers with a 40% deposit Two-year fix: Mpowered has a two-year fixed rate at 4.19 per cent with a £0 product fee. Monthly repayments are £730. Five-year fix: Barclays has a five-year fixed rate at 3.99 per cent with a £999 product fee. Monthly repayments are £715. > Guide: How to get a mortgage as a first-time buyer What mortgage can I get as a first-time buyer? The mortgage deal you can get as a first-time buyer depends on the size of your deposit, as well as your personal circumstances, your income, outgoings, any other outstanding debts and credit score. Having a bigger deposit relative to the purchase price opens up cheaper mortgage rates, as lenders see you as a less risky borrower. Mortgage rates are offered based on the size of the mortgage versus the property's value. This is known as the loan-to-value (LTV) and is the reverse percentage of your deposit amount. For example: if you had a 10 per cent deposit, your mortgage would be 90 per cent LTV if you had a 25 per cent deposit, it would be 75 per cent LTV if you had a 40 per cent deposit, it would be 60 per cent LTV > Compare mortgage rates at different loan-to-values with L&C * Although they assess on individual affordability, mortgage lenders typically limit most people to borrowing roughly no more than 4.5 times their annual income. However, this can be lower if you have any other loans or debts – or higher if your income is stable, you have an excellent credit history and little existing debt. Speaking to a whole-of-market mortgage broker, rather than going direct to a bank or building society, is the easiest way of getting matched to the cheapest possible mortgage deal. Mortgage brokers will also run an affordability check to see what the maximum amount you can borrow is, looking at information from bank statements, payslips or tax returns. David Hollingworth, mortgage expert and broker at L&C Mortgages, told us there have been positive developments recently that could benefit first-time buyers. 'The biggest issues are affordability and being able to save a big enough deposit. Lenders have reacted quickly to the FCA's reminder that they have some flexibility in how they stress test affordability. That has seen many improve the stress rates which should allow more borrowers to achieve a bigger mortgage.' What first-time buyer help schemes are available? Some mortgage providers have introduced first-time buyer help schemes that boost how much first-time buyers can potentially borrow. Nationwide's 'Helping Hand' mortgage gives employed first-time buyers the ability to borrow up to six times income – those with a smaller deposit of five per cent are even eligible. This means couples earning £50,000 can borrow £300,000 for their first home, which is roughly £75,000 more than standard lending. Halifax's 'First Time Buyer Boost' mortgage works in a similar way, allowing first-time buyers to borrow up to 5.5 times their annual income. To be eligible, first-time buyers need to be employed and earning a total household income of £50,000 or more. They also need to have a deposit of at least 10 per cent to put towards the purchase of the property. Certain lenders provide higher multiples for particular professions, usually secure public sector jobs such as nurses or civil servants. Some providers are even offering mortgage deals that don't require a deposit, although buyers need to have good affordability and should be prepared to fix for longer. George Smith, Mortgage Adviser at LDN Finance, told us that despite the availability of these 100 per cent mortgages, many first-time buyers struggle to meet the criteria to qualify for them. 'In practice, these schemes often require a joint income to meet lenders' stress tests, making it difficult for single buyers to take advantage of them. As such, the concept of a sole applicant successfully securing one of these loans is more theoretical than realistic in today's climate. 'Moreover, with house prices remaining stubbornly high and showing little sign of downward movement, the gap between earnings and property values continues to grow.' How long should first-time buyers fix a mortgage for? Choosing how long to fix your mortgage rate for depends on what you think will happen to interest rates over the fixed period and your personal circumstances. A longer fix offers security and can save on fees from repeatedly remortgaging. Often people can avoid five-year fixes because they think they will move but most homeowners stay longer than two or three years in a property. Ask yourself, will you really need to move again after just a few years? Most people fix for either two years or five years, although there are some who will fix for three years or even 10 years. People often fix for two years because they believe that interest rates will continue falling, so a shorter fix allows them to eventually switch to a cheaper rate. Shorter fixes can also suit people who think they'll want to move again soon – fixing for longer might open them up to an early repayment charge on the mortgage were they to exit early. But there's no easy answer, so you have to think about what's best for your situation. George Smith, Mortgage Adviser at LDN Finance, says that the length of the fix is completely dependent on the homebuyer's situation and outlook. 'However, the majority of borrowers are currently opting for shorter-term fixed rates, with a view to reviewing things in two to three years' time.' Remember though, there is no guarantee rates will me materially lower in two or three years' time - and they could be higher. What about a tracker mortgage? A tracker mortgage essentially tracks the Bank of England's base rate plus or minus a fixed percentage. For example: The mortgage could track base rate, currently at 4.25 per cent, while adding 0.5 percentage points, making the rate 4.75 per cent. If the Bank of England were to then cut base rate from 4.25 per cent to 3.75 per cent, the tracker rate will immediately fall to 4.25 per cent. A tracker mortgage without an early repayment charge could put borrowers in a position to take advantage when rates drop, but not all trackers come without fees for jumping ship. Meanwhile, despite the potential benefits, a tracker can leave people vulnerable to further base rate hikes while also being more expensive at the start than fixed rates at present. Broker George Smith says that people ask him about trackers regularly, but he then questions: 'If the base rate were to rise for any reason, would you have sufficient assets or savings to comfortably absorb an increase in your monthly mortgage payment – on top of all the other rising living costs? 'More often than not, for first-time buyers or those early in their ownership journey, the ability to budget and have certainty over their biggest monthly outgoing is really appealing in the current climate.' First-time buyer checklist: Getting ready to buy your first home 1. Build a deposit Your deposit usually needs to be at least five per cent of the value of a property, but many mortgage lenders ask that first-time buyers have at least 10 per cent. The higher your deposit the better. Not only will you have less debt to repay, but those who put down larger deposits as a percentage of the property's value will usually get better interest rates. Still, you should avoid throwing everything at the deposit – it's wise to keep an emergency savings fund and you'll need money for other costs associated with home buying. To build a deposit quicker, work out your budget to find out how much you can afford to save regularly then contribute monthly to a savings account that pays a high interest rate. What is a Lifetime Isa? A Lifetime Isa can help you save for a deposit quicker because the Government gives you a 25 per cent bonus on your contributions. So if you save the maximum of £4,000 in your Lifetime Isa each year, the Government will top this up by £1,000. But be careful though, because Lifetime Isas can only be used to buy homes of up to £450,000. How much is the average deposit for first-time buyers? According to figures from UK Finance, the average deposit paid by first-time buyers in 2024 who didn't receive help from family was £60,741. On the other hand, the average deposit paid by those who did have assistance from family was £118,073. 2. Check your credit history Checking your credit history as soon as possible gives you enough time to iron out problems and improve your credit file if necessary. Issues such as a history of late payments or a lack of data about your financial obligations – known as a thin credit file – aren't quick to fix. Checking your credit file at least 12 months before you want to apply for a mortgage gives you the best chance of getting your credit history into shape. How to check your credit history Checking your credit score is your first port of call because it's based on the data in your credit file and represents the health of your credit history. You don't have one credit score. Each credit reference agency calculates your score differently and mortgage providers have their own systems for working out your creditworthiness too. But the scores you get from the credit reference agencies are a useful indicator of how a mortgage lender will view your application. You can get a free credit score at: Experian ClearScore (not a credit reference agency – uses Equifax data) Credit Karma (not a credit reference agency – uses TransUnion data) TotallyMoney (not a credit reference agency – uses TransUnion data) These services usually let you view your full credit report too. A good score indicates that the mortgage lender is more likely to see you as creditworthy while a poorer score suggests it will view you as riskier to lend to. A poor score warrants further investigation into where to improve. You can view your credit score and credit history as many times as you like without damaging them, because accessing your own data is recorded as a 'soft' search and isn't visible to lenders when they look at your file. 3. Boost your credit score if necessary You don't need a set credit score to get a mortgage as a first-time buyer. Even if you have an excellent score, there's no guarantee a mortgage lender will accept your application. But a good credit score indicates it's more likely you'll be able to borrow the amount you need at the cheapest interest rates. This makes it worth improving if it's not where you want it to be. You can improve your credit score by taking steps such as registering to vote, if you haven't already, and reducing your credit utilisation. This is how much of your available credit you're using across all your credit cards. As a basic example, if you have one credit card with a £6,000 credit limit and a £3,000 balance, your credit utilisation will be 50 per cent. It's generally recommended to keep your credit utilisation below 25 per cent. Work out your credit utilisation ratio by adding up your credit card balances, dividing this by your total available credit limit, and multiplying that figure by 100 to get a percentage. > A scam wrecked my credit score: Can I put our mortgage in my wife's name? 4. Get your bank statements on track Lenders ask for three months' of bank statements to check things like: the consistency of your income your affordability your regular outgoings your regular balance (for example, whether you're hitting your overdraft limit often) A healthy bank statement will show you have a steady income each month, recurring monthly bills that are paid on time, and purchases that still leave you with reasonable cash reserves. This shows you'll be able to afford mortgage payments without any problem. On the other hand, using an overdraft regularly can imply to lenders that you find it difficult to manage your money. Spending significant amounts on things lenders deem risky, such as gambling, can cause similar concerns. Returned direct debits, which occur when you don't have sufficient funds in your account, can also suggest that you find it difficult to make payments on time. 5. Speak to a mortgage broker It's possible to approach mortgage providers directly, but first-time buyers may find it useful to have a mortgage broker guide them through the application process. A good mortgage broker can scour deals from lots of lenders and discuss which one is best for you. They may also have access to special rates that banks don't offer to everyone. Some brokers charge customers a fee for their services. But you can also find brokers that take a commission from the mortgage lender instead and don't charge homebuyers anything. When looking for a mortgage broker, check they're whole of market. This means they look at all of the mortgages available across many lenders, instead of being paid fees by a select few to only offer buyers their deals. Mortgage brokers are also called mortgage advisers – the terms are usually used interchangeably.
