It's an extension of the great Australian dream; as well as owning your own home, why not build it as well? After all, it is unlikely that any home will be more perfectly suited to yours and your family's own tastes than if you had designed it yourselves, carefully planning the layout and selecting all the finishing touches.
With some of Australia's state governments offering various incentives for people to buy land packages (such as zero stamp duty on purchases of vacant land in New South Wales over the next couple of years), it may be a financially viable option for many Australians to consider the purchase of land and build on it.
For those who choose this path, there are a few factors worth thinking about before you settle on a particular block of land. Various site characteristics can have a significant impact on how you build your dream home, what features you will be able to include in its design, as well as the cost of your project.
As with any new property purchase, be it a house, apartment or land, it is important to consider the area within which you are looking to buy. Does it have the necessary transport, health and schooling facilities and other infrastructure for you and your family? In many new areas, where land has only recently been released, it is natural that some services will not yet have been established. It is usually worth talking to your local council to determine when various facilities are expected to be available.
When it comes to the site itself, take note of characteristics such as its slope and the presence of trees. Both can be expensive to rectify if they fall within the area where you wish to build. The distances that any buildings must be set back from the boundaries of the property are also worth noting – your design may be unsuitable if it means your new home will impinge on boundary restrictions.
The accessibility of the site can also affect your choice. If it is not an easy task for construction vehicles to get to the land, your construction costs could increase by quite a bit, reducing the financial viability of your project.
Finally, it could be helpful to enquire about the intentions of other property builders and developers in the area – one way to do this is to ask your local council about any development applications that have been lodged. You may finish building your perfect home, complete with beautiful views, when suddenly the construction of a high-rise apartment building begins next door, replacing your outlook with somebody else's window.
Take the time to find a block of land that is suitable for you and your family's needs. As you are constructing your dream home, it would be a shame to have to leave it if the area or the site ends up being unsuitable.