Buying and building: Tips to get you started

When choosing to live in a Lendlease masterplanned community, there are a few ways to go about it. Here’s what you need to know to keep it simple.

Everyone has different wants, needs and priorities to address when building a dream home. Here are some tips/ideas to get you started. Homes and blocks of land come in a variety of shapes and sizes; many fit together seamlessly but what happens when your perfect match on paper doesn’t work in the real world? Here are four tips to ensure that doesn’t happen.

Start smart

When it comes to a masterplanned community, it’s a good idea to sit with a consultant so you can talk about the different ways to buy into the community.

 “There are three different ways to buy in a Lendlease community,” says Lendlease State Sales Manager for New South Wales Holly Brennan.

"You can purchase land, or you can purchase a split contract house and land package, or you can purchase a single contract house and land package together.”Identifying which one is best for you takes a bit of research, so talking to a Lendlease consultant is important.

1. Land only

Buying land on it’s own is a great option if you’re after flexibility, as it means you can choose your own builder and you’ll have more options when it comes to the style of house you want to build. If you choose this option, before committing to a block of land, have a chat with a few builders and look at design options, so you know what size block you’ll need to fit the type of house you want to build.

2. House and land package

Purchasing a split contract package means you’re buying the house and land together, so you’re guaranteed that the home is going to fit on that block of land. The builder will consider factors such as block elevation, slope and size and ensure the floor plan you choose works on that block.

3. Complete home

A single contract package is where you enter into a contract directly with the builder – often the homes are currently being built or they’re complete. You pay a deposit up front and the rest when the home is ready to be moved in. 

Choosing your home

Before you fall in love with any particular floor plan or block, here's a list of important questions to ask yourself. 

• Budget: How much can you spend and what's your upper limit?
• Timeframe: When do you want to be living in your house? 
• Yard size: Do you want space for a cubby, pool or are you looking for a small yard that doesn’t need too much maintenance?
• Double or single storey: Do you want your home to be two storeys or one?
• Bedrooms: Do you want a room for each family member, plus one spare for guests?
• Bathrooms: Do you want en-suites, shared bathrooms or a guest bathroom?
• Kitchen: How much kitchen storage space will you need?
• Workspace: Will you work from home? Do you want a separate space for the kids to do their homework?
•  

Block size matters

When looking at homes and land, how wide the block is, or the street frontage, will dictate the designs available. “It’s the first thing you need to consider when you’re looking to purchase a home and want a certain design to fit on the land,” Holly explains.

“The frontage will determine the kind of design you can get on that particular block while the depth of the block determines what sort of back yard you’re going to have.”

Blocks with wide frontage and shallow depth are ideal for two-storey homes, while an innovative way to work around a long, narrow block is to rearrange your double garage to give it a smaller width but double length, giving you more space for front-facing windows.

Final say

Work collaboratively with your builder – they have loads of experience and insight. “A lot of our builders will adjust standard designs and do a custom job to meet the needs of the customer,” she says. 
“We recently had a customer who purchased a block of land and really wanted a prayer room in his home. The builder worked really hard with him to adjust the size of some of the bedrooms so he could get that extra space into his home. There are some really innovative designs from builders.”  Our builders are happy to work with you to help you through your buying and building journey; by speaking to one of our design consultants and working with the builder you’ll find there’s a solution for every block of land.