When buying land in Perth, it’s important to do your research, making sure you understand the process and what’s involved. Below we have outlined a checklist of our top tips to help you on your path to buying land in Perth and building the home of your dreams.
Get your finances in order
When buying land in Perth and then building your dream home, you’ll have two contracts:
- Your mortgage on the land
- Your Construction loan
To get the ball rolling, first, you need to establish your budget. To do this you need to take into consideration the cost of the following:
- land purchase
- site works
- house build
- finishing costs
Pre-approval through a lender will give you a budget to stick to. As a first home buyer, you may be eligible to claim State and Federal Government rebates and grants.
Finding the perfect block of land
New land estates and private blocks of land in Perth are being released all the time. When comparing the different land available, consider the following:
1. Location
Where do you want to live? Do you want to be on the coast or in a rural area? Is proximity to work a priority? What are your family’s schooling requirements now and in the future? Do you need access to open spaces like parks, fields and natural bushland?
2. Block Size
How much land will you need? Will a standard block be sufficient or do you want acreage?
3. Orientation and Aspect
Not all people take orientation and aspects into consideration when purchasing a block of land however it can be one of the most important long term decisions you make. Aspect can drastically affect the energy efficiency of a home, helping keep it cool in summer and warm in winter.
Additionally, without proper forethought, you may be forever annoyed that your living room doesn’t receive enough sunshine, or too much.
How will you be affected if a neighbour decides to be a second storey addition?
When it comes to orientation and aspect – think to the future.
4. Contours
The rise and fall of a block of land can drastically impact when and where you can build, along with building costs.
5. Soil
Many people are stunned when they find that soil can affect building costs. As an example, if your land is full of rock, this can increase site work costs.
Finding a builder
Your builder will be responsible for turning your home dreams into a reality. At times, you’ll be speaking with your builder on a daily basis so it’s important you have a good rapport and keep the lines of communication open to avoid misunderstandings and delays.
Things to consider when choosing a builder include:
Quality of work: Ask to view examples of work they have completed – preferably in person. Do they have any homes under construction you can visit? Are you able to speak with past clients?
Value for money: While it’s true that you get what you pay for, when you’ve got a limited budget, you want to get the best value money.
Client liaison: Will you have a dedicated contact that will be communicating directly with you? How often will they provide updates?
Flexibility of design: If the builder has a range of design plans to choose from, how flexible are they in making changes to these to suit your individual needs and requirements?
Inclusions: Your builder should be able to provide you with a scope of works. What is included in the budget for this? Will you be hit up for fixtures and fittings not included, or you thought were included?
More information
If you have any questions about buying land in Perth and would like to inspect land currently for sale, don’t hesitate to contact Christine directly.
Christine Young is a twenty-year survivor of the Real Estate industry in Western Australia and yet, to this day, has lost none of her enthusiasm and energy in striving for that next project that next sale. Over the decades, Christine has built up an impressive list of successful land sales throughout Perth and surrounding regions. Christine makes herself available to the public and prospective clients at all times and welcomes direct contact with the public in a one-on-one situation to foster trust and confidence.