Land Hunting

The first key challenge was identifying the right block of land.

Our key criteria were relatively simple:

• we wanted to stay on the north side of the city
• we wanted at least the same size as our current block (918m²) or bigger
• we did not want to be any further from the city than we currently are (10km)
• we wanted an established area well serviced by shops and public transport
• we wanted to ensure our house would be comparable with those in the neighborhood and not over capitalise
• we wanted a suburb that did not have social problems

There were only five areas that roughly met this criteria but we narrowed it down quite easily to one suburb. 

Two areas we looked at did not have any services, one was unlikely to ever get them and the other had a lot more development to go so services were miles away.

Two other areas had one off blocks but for the size we wanted they were outside our budget or the houses around them were a lot smaller or older than the type we wanted to build thus increasing our risk of over capitalisation.

That left one area that had two small new estates in it as well as some incidental blocks in other areas of the suburb.  This area met all of our criteria.

We were able to eliminate one of the estates quite quickly as although the blocks were flatter they were also about 100K more expensive so not really value for money.  There were only a few one off blocks and those were either not the right size or for various reasons did not appeal to us.

So Timberline Estate won out - but which block.

After 13 Years A New House

Well after nearly 13 years of living in the same house we have decided to move into a new house.  So you may ask why the change, well a few reasons.

The kids are now entering the teen years with J turning 13 this year and C not far behind.  Our current house has been great when they were little with all the living areas together. But as the kids have become older, need less supervision and have become noisier having them save us from the latest alien invasion or take a quick trip to the past on their gaming devices in the next room is not so much fun.  Added to that it looks like T and C will probably go to uni so we anticipate T at home for at least 10 years and C at home for another 15 - so we need a house suitable for teenagers and young adults - in other words they need their own space and so do we.

Added to that P has wanted a shed for years - his secret man space!!  Not possible in our current place as despite being a  ¼ acre block we have no rear access - thus no shed.

Its been fairly long in coming particularly given T has been a teenager for 2 years - albeit he is a quiet one!!  But P is not as inclined to move as me so it had to be the right house in the right place - and this year it has all come together.

I returned to fulltime work late last year so finances became less of an issue - particularly given we can now support a mortgage that allows us to stay in our current home and won't need to sell till the new one is finished - one move in other words and a lot less stress than reentering the rental market or trying to negotiate with new owners to stay where we are on a month by month basis.

Added to that a new estate opened up in a suburb (established) that we both like and it now costs basically the same to design your own home as it does off the plan - and P can have his shed.  So all the boxes could be ticked:

• family dynamics have changed = time for a change
• finances can support
• the right area 
• our own design
• and THE SHED!

Three Reasons for a New House