How to buy or build your first home
Buying or building your first home is one of the most exciting events of your life. Ready to find your own place, but don’t know where to begin? Get started with our step-by-step guide.
Stay in charge.
When you build your own home, you call the shots. Working alongside your builder, you can design a space that feels right for you and your family without sacrificing your wants and needs.
“Building lets you select from a variety of builder designs. That level of individuality makes it truly yours,” Ranisha Clark, Managing Director for Communities, says. “It’s extremely exciting to have the power to actually make these decisions.”
You might want a covered patio to watch storms roll in or greet the sunrise with a cup of coffee. Maybe you need an office with floor-to-ceiling windows to light up your professional life. When you build, you can make it so.
Save some money.
Most established homes won’t have exactly what you’re looking for and may require expensive changes.
“Renovation costs are higher than new build costs from a dollar per square metre viewpoint,” Clark says. “It’s often more cost effective to undertake building a new home rather than purchase an established home that needs a lot of work.”
Knocking out a wall, adding air conditioning and other alterations are costly. Don’t settle for something that’s not quite what you want – get it right the first time and skip renovation spend.
Know the history.
When you build a new home, you start writing your own story. That means avoiding nasty surprises and plot twists of decades-old homes – avoiding hidden costs such as water damage that you cannot see, expensive foundational faults or troublesome tree roots missed during inspection. You’ll know you’re getting a brand new roof, flooring and other major features.
Help the environment.
Building a new home from scratch makes it easier to implement up-do-date features and live more sustainably. From installing solar panels and windows that catch natural winter daylight to energy efficient heating and cooling systems and power-preserving smart technology, builders can easily include greener equipment and design elements that are positive for the environment and save you money you can use elsewhere.
Make it yours.
Building your own home lets you shape your life for decades to come. This can be the home where you get engaged. Where you have kids and help them take their first steps, learn to ride a bike and do homework. Where you host friends and family for BBQs, dinner parties and Christmas feasts. This place belongs to you and your family – it’s where your memories will be made.
With welcoming communities all over Australia, now is a great time to take things into your own hands by building your first home.