The ‘How to’ of Land

Purpose of the Block

All building starts with land, so knowing how to choose your land is essential in the building process.

The first question you need to consider is ‘what do you want to achieve in your build?’

Is your block for a large home? Do you want a large backyard? Do you need space for a large carport, or is your priority simply about maximising your living space?

At this point you need to go to your budget and carefully calculate what you can afford.

Location

Where are you interested in living? A land estate is sometimes referred to as a ‘greenfield site‘ because it hasn’t been built on before. An ‘infill site‘ on the other hand is a block found in an existing neighbourhood.

You should consider what type of street you want to live in. Will it be a quiet street with no through traffic, or will it be a thoroughfare that may be more convenient for your commute?

Solar Aspect

In summer, the midday sun is directly overhead, while in winter the midday sun is on a northern angle. Depending on the way your block faces, you can try to get some living areas, or habitable rooms, on the north side that allows for winter warmth sunshine to come in.

Now that the WA State Government requires all houses to have a six star sustainability rating, choosing your block with solar aspect in mind will help the build meet the six stars requirements in an affordable way.

Weather Aspect

Taking the wind direction into account when choosing your plot of land is important, especially for future balconies, courtyards and gardens.

The West Australian coastline is particularly windy with south-westerly winds coming off the coast, so if you are building near the coast, your block buying decision should take into account where to have an outside setting that will be least impacted by the wind.

Size of the Lot

The square metre size of your lot will go some way to determining the valuation and future sale price of your property. This is because the size of the block is a key data point used by real estate agents and valuers for property sales and mortgage calculations.

If the building is a two-story building, the size of the lot is not a major consideration.

House Number

Many people when building in a new housing estate are keen to find out the house number of their property. However, house numbers are determined by the local government.

Therefore, the developer won’t know the house numbers on each street until the titles are issued.