So you think you’ve found your dream property. The fabulous local shopping precinct is down the road, your kids can ride their bikes to school, there’s a bus stop on the corner of the leafy public park and your favourite café overlooking the water is a comfortable stroll away. Sounds perfect.
But before you sign that towering stack of financial and legal documents and pop the Champagne, take a closer look at the land itself. To some it may simply look like a rectangular-shaped block of sand on which your builder will magically make your dream home appear. But have a think about dimensions, views, orientation, slope, soil, water run-off, privacy, trees, street parking and accessibility. All of these factors will impact your design, budget, timeline and the end result: your quality of life.
Undertake a site assessment
Engaging your builder to undertake a site assessment before you commit to purchasing a block is an essential step regardless of the area you buy in, which is why Ross North Homes provides this service to its clients at no extra cost. There are unique challenges in different areas. For example, buyers in coastal suburbs should factor in slope, wind and salt damage, which may affect choice of materials and design. Residents in the Perth Hills may have to deal with sub-surface rock, water-resistant clay soils and different sewer requirements, such as installing an Alternative Treatment Unit (ATU) instead of the more common leach drain solution.
Block or house design: which comes first?
Savvy buyers understand that not every house plan fits every block. If you have a firm idea about the style and design of house you like, make sure you choose a block that can accommodate it. Alternatively, if you fall in love with a location and a block, pick a house design that maximises its natural assets, or better yet, let Ross North Homes help you design your own and get it just right.
Considerations for new subdivisions
If you’re considering purchasing a block within a new housing estate, look at its location relative to others in the street. Is it on the border of the next stage or in a street where there are few completed homes? Assess whether there may be any potentially adverse impacts, like noise and dust, from the construction of the next stage or neighbouring homes. While it’s virtually impossible to avoid some disruption during the construction of a new subdivision, it’s wise to be mindful of staging as it may influence your final decision. If you have a narrow block, you should definitely check out our awesome designs for Narrow Lot Homes in Perth.
First and foremost, our priority at Ross North Homes is to create happy clients. We don’t like nasty surprises any more than you do, which is why we offer free site assessments to mitigate this risk and enable you to achieve your goals.
