The Land




There are many things to evaluate
when choosing your own land and
the items below are just some of
the points to be considered:

1. Price of the land. Can you afford it and still build a home? Only you can establish your budget.

2. Resale value of the land in the area. Make sure you dont pay too much for your land by becoming too emotional. Remember, one day you may decide to sell and move.

3. Decide whether the land should be above or below the road. Most people prefer above the road as it better displays the home.

4. Slightly sloping land is preferable to steeply sloping as the land can be more easily utilised for building or outside entertainment.

5. Steeply sloping land will cost more for your foundations and will be more difficult to utilise for outside entertainment.

6. Flat land is excellent for building on and for outside entertainment, but can have a problem with water retention during prolonged wet periods.

7. Enjoyable views are important to consider as these add value to the land and your new home. Most house designs prefer bedrooms on the upper levels. A view that can only been seen from this level is not as valuable as one that can also be seen from the ground floor.

8. The orientation of your land is extremely important, especially if you intend to use passive solar design features in your home. A north facing back yard is ideal as it allows sun into the family, kitchen, meals, rumpus and other rooms normally situated at the rear of the property.

9. Existing trees are important as they can enhance the finished appearance of the home and land, and be useful for future landscaping, they can also be a problem if they are where you want to build. Check that they can be removed and dont have a Heritage or Council order protecting them. The cost of removing trees can be expensive if they are close to a boundary, neighbouring trees or houses. The land slope and, of course, size of the trees also has an effect on the cost of their removal.

10. Future resale in an area is important.
Check that you are building in a residential area, and not one which may allow medium density next door to your home. Medium density, townhouses, villa or flats, all reduce the value of adjacent land in terms of a single residential building block.

11. Check with the Department of Main Roads and the local Shire Council that they have no plans for future developments such as road widening, expressways, etc.

12. Check the location of your land for proximity to local and major shopping centres.

13. Check the proximity to train or bus transport

14. Check that you are not under a direct flight path.

15. It may be a great place to live, but remember the travel time and distance to work. After all, you do this at least ten times a week.

16. Land situated near a reserve or park offers additional advantages for outside entertainment for children. However, this can be a disadvantage if the land directly adjoins them, as you can become a target for house thieves. A park or reserve provides an easy escape route for a thief if he is forced to take flight, and also offers him easy access into your rear yard. So be security conscious in your designing and avoid easy areas where a thief can enter undetected. Use dead locks and bolts at all opportunities.