Finding the right section for your new home

When it comes to building your new home, finding the right section is a significant component.

Determining the piece of land you wish to lay the foundations from, is just as important as the build itself. It is the first task all new-home owner are on the look out for, which at times can be challenging yet rewarding. To help you land your dream section, we have put together key tips below.

House Design

Before you purchase land, it pays to have a fair idea of what you want to achieve. What is the approximate size of your new build? Two bedrooms or five bedrooms? Do you want a large garden space? Do you have pets or wanting to get pets? Do you want a separate sleep out? Create a “must haves” list, detailing all the qualities of your new home. These factors will help determine what type of land you need and refine your search.

Developers, real estate agents or builders?

Purchasing land directly from the developer whilst the land is still being developed, provides you the opportunity to save money on holding costs. Securing a section can be done before titles are released, and usually requires a 5-10% deposit with the remaining amount being paid when titles are issued. This is ideal as you save money from minimal land costs and can start planning a home design to suit your land with sufficient time.

Alternatively, seek advice from a real estate agent who can also point you in the direction of suitable sections. Sometimes, you may come across a section that hasn’t hit the market yet.

You can take a similar path, by working with a home builder like ourselves. Anthem Homes are experts in clients find land suited to their needs. We understand not only what to look for in a section but the building process that coincides. 

Subdivision and building covenants

Most subdivisions come with specific covenants to ensure the area achieves the right look and feel. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the subdivision covenants to avoid surprises later down the track and ensure your home requirements are not compromised. Are there certain cladding and material restrictions? What landscaping is required? What timeframes are allocated for the completion of the build and landscaping? What are the building setbacks? Can you build a home and income design?

Boundaries and set backs

Depending on where you decide to build, certain sites have restrictions on how you can build, which can limit the size of your house. Some sites allow 40% of the site to be used for building, where as other sites may allow 50% to be used. In addition, certain sites require a 1m setback from the road, and some require more. It is sensible to get a good understanding of setbacks and boundaries on each site you look at, so you can determine the design restrictions.

Area and suburb

Start with geography. What suburb do you ideally want to live in? What is it that you like about a particular area? How far away do you want to be from friends and family?

Setting and lifestyle

Urban, Suburban or Rural. How close do you want to be to the city? Is picturesque nature and beach settings more important than the bright lights of urban living? 

Proximity to schools, work and facilities

What school zones are applicable to the site? Do you need shops within walking distance? How long will it take you to get to work?

Orientation

Size, shape, orientation and slope of the block of land, all contribute to the design and simplicity of your build. A sloping block can require intensive earthworks and retaining walls and therefore need to build a home that takes the slope into account. However, a sloping site generally provides you with spectacular views and a home with point of difference. Flat sections require significantly less excavations and provide a “clean canvas” for laying the foundations of your home.

It pays to write down all your sections requirements. We recommend categorizing your wants with the likes of an "important must haves" and "ideal world" list, as this will help you identify decision-making factors and compromise on the not so important factors.

Having secured your new piece of grass, we can now start the truly exciting stage. Planning YOUR BUILD!