House and land packages offer a wide range of benefits and can seem very appealing to first home buyers. However, like any other property purchase, it’s essential to do your research and ask as many questions as you need before signing a contract. Whether this is your first time considering a house and land package or you’ve considered this option before, here are a few key questions to ask yourself to ensure you’re making the right decision before embarking on the home buying journey with a house and land package.
The house and land package process involves buying a block of land from a developer and selecting a home design from a builder who’ll bring the plans to life. As most home builders work with developers as partners, the most common purchasing model in Australia is buying these both as a ‘bundle’, with buyers paying a single price for the block and the build.
It’s well known that house and land packages aren’t only one of the most cost-effective ways for homebuyers – especially first home buyers – to get into the property market, but that they can also be great investments. And not only for homebuyers, but investors too.
House and land packages are often located in high-growth areas with limits to the height and number of blocks that can be released, limiting the supply of homes in that area. Coupled with the lower entry costs in these areas than in more established areas and there are often strong capital growth opportunities for homebuyers who get in early.
And then there are all the financial benefits associated with buying or building a new home over buying an existing home. These include lower ongoing maintenance and avoiding costly repairs, builder and supplier warranties, energy-efficient appliances and a variety of Government incentives, such as the First Home Owners Grant, First Home Guarantee Scheme, First Home Vacant Land Concession and Family Home Guarantee schemes.
As one of the most critical features of a good real estate purchase, ensuring the location is right for you should be at the top of your list of questions to ask. When considering buying a house and land package, make sure the estate is suitable and also that the surrounding area offers the amenities you need, such as public transport, medical facilities, shopping centres, recreational areas and, if you have children, schools and other essential amenities.
When buying in a master-planned community some amenities and infrastructure may be planned but not yet underway, so find out when these will be completed and ready to use. The neighbours who you’ll be living alongside are important considerations too, so be sure to consider what the area and community is like in terms of demographics and lifestyle.
You should also check whether there are developments planned in the area that may impact either the value of your property or your quality of life. No area is immune to planned developments and there’s often a higher chance of major changes taking place in the areas in which the estates with house and land packages are located.
Changes that could have either (or both) positive and negative effects on your investment and lifestyle include the development of shopping centres and commercial hubs, sporting and recreational facilities, public transport upgrades, major road works and zoning changes that change land use permissions for residential, commercial or industrial purposes.
Nobody wants to feel cramped in their new home, so make sure the size of the block meets your needs, especially if you have a growing family as you’ll want to ensure there’s enough space for your family to grow and enjoy the beautiful weather we have here in Queensland. What’s more, block size will play an important role in property value, with larger blocks sure to be valued higher in the future, an important consideration when buying property.
Additionally, consider house orientation and where the home will sit on the block, with north-facing blocks the best house orientation for natural light and energy efficiency. This means your home will also capture natural breezes in summer and more sun in winter.
As you’re buying a new home – and not building a new home or buying an existing home to renovate – local building regulations are less of a consideration with house and land packages than other property purchasing options. However, it’s still important to be aware of any applicable building regulations and restrictions, so be sure to look into the various local zoning laws and criteria around height limitations and boundary setback requirements.
A common concern among home buyers considering house and land packages is the amount of input that they can have in the design of their home. Some home builders offering house and land packages insist on non-negotiable designs with their packages, while others provide greater design flexibility. If the ability to create your own unique home is important to you, make this one of the first questions that you ask potential home builders.
The amount of input you have could extend to making changes to the floor plan to suit your needs, with most home builders with house and land packages offering a variety of options to individualise aspects of the home. These generally include façade, landscaping, fixtures and finishings, flooring and tiling, splashbacks and benchtops, and appliance upgrades.
Home builders can vary significantly in the inclusions they offer with their house and land packages and new-build homes, so make it a priority to find out exactly what’s included in the total cost when sourcing the right home builder. It’s vital to clarify the house and land package inclusions and exclusions before committing to the build, as some builders will include, for example, driveways, landscaping and fencing, as standard inclusions while these are considered additional inclusions by others.
At Hallmark Homes, we pride ourselves on the quality and wide range of inclusions we offer as standard with our house and land packages, and offer a range of luxury inclusions to take your new home build to the next level of luxuriousness and unbeatable value! To find out exactly what’s included, download one of our brochures from our ‘Inclusions’ page.
As a house and land package is a new-build home, you’re covered under Queensland’s Builders Statutory Warranty if any problems arise after the handover. As part of your research when searching for the right builder, you should also ask, ‘What kind of after-sale support do you offer and how are defects or issues handled after completion?’.
When you build with Hallmark Homes, you’ll enjoy total peace of mind knowing that you’re covered by the Builders Statutory Warranty. What’s more, the Hallmark Homes service continues beyond handover, with your 12-month defect liability period commencing on the date of practical completion.
The time it takes to build a new home is influenced by a variety of factors, from the design and size of the home, to the location of the site, materials and weather. You can be sure the home building journey will take some time, so it’s advisable to start the journey sooner rather than later so you can move into your new home as soon as possible. If you do want to know exact building times, it’s always best to reach out to the Builders to find out as it can vary all the time.
The Hallmark Homes 10 step build process breaks it into easy-to-understand stages, so you know exactly what’s going on at all times, and you can rest assured that your experience with us will be enjoyable and stress-free, with great communication every step of the way.
Hallmark Homes offers house and land packages in Brisbane and throughout South East Queensland, including Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Ipswich. Explore our home designs and latest house and land packages, and be sure to visit a Hallmark Homes display home to get a real feel for the design and build quality that makes our homes so highly sought after.
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