The Ins and Outs of Purchasing a House and Land Package in Australia

Purchasing a house and land (also known as a flat) package may seem like a huge undertaking to some. You have to start from scratch, try to find the perfect lot and house plan for it, and then embark on the building process.

However, the investment is highly likely to pay itself off. That is, if you know how, where, and when to buy the flat package.

So, if you’re on the market (or on the fence) for purchasing a property in Australia — keep reading. In the following paragraphs, we’ll tell you all you need to know to make a wise investment and get a great piece of property.

 

Flat Packages 101

Flat packages are perfect for those looking to remove the guess-work out of buying a home. Moreover, they offer the easiest way of building the home of your dreams, in the ideal place — without doing any of the heavy lifting. 

Flat packages may also come with some great financing options, making them attainable to many people. So, whether you’re single, starting a family, or simply want to make a good investment — the flat package could be the best option for you.

 

Where Should You Look?

When choosing a flat package, you shouldn’t make a decision based on superficial criteria. You also ought to look for properties within safe areas, close to nature, parks, and culture, and other things important to you.

Additionally, you need to consider the current and projected values of your property and home, to make sure you’re making a good financial decision.

 

In recent years, Wyndham, Truganina, Werribee, and similar suburbs have attracted a great number of Aussies. Perhaps most notably, the search and demand for house and land packages Wyndham Vale has skyrocketed in recent years. 

Because this suburb encompasses all of the important criteria we’ve previously mentioned, it’s become ripe with opportunity. So, it’s relatively easy to find a good deal on a flat package, as well as start planning and moving in quickly.

 

How to Get Started?

Before settling on a flat package, you should first make a list of your criteria. Start by writing down your must-haves as well as the things you want to avoid at all costs. Then, consider which area fits into those criteria the best, and commence on your search.

To make the process easier, you can look through the offers of trusted real estate companies online, and ask for their catalog. At this point, you have to ask all of your questions to make sure the offer fits your needs and wants, as well as capabilities. Once you’ve narrowed your choices talk to your realtor about starting to turn your home dreams into a reality.

 

Final Thoughts

As you can hopefully tell by now, purchasing a home and land package can be a great option for various types of buyers. Moreover, it’s perfect for all of those who want to make the process easier and more efficient, while holding on to their home must-haves.

So, whether you’re trying to create the perfect nest for your family, or are looking for a new home built to your needs — the flat package could be the best option for you.

5 Reasons Buying a Home is Better than Renting

There’s a vast difference between renting and buying a home. Similarly, the two provide various advantages and downsides, too. Nonetheless, here are some of the best reasons why looking for and buying a house and land packages Point Cook or any location is always the best choice.

 

It provides intangible benefits. 

One, if not, the best reasons to buy a home is security. It provides you with a sense of stability that renting doesn’t offer. Owners also say that having their own home also brings them pride. 

Another intangible benefit of owning your home is having your private space. You can enjoy as much privacy as you need and want compared to renting where your landlord still has the last say when it comes to repairing schedules and maintenance. 

Though the first step to owning a home requires research and investment, the upside will still pay off, especially if you choose the best property to invest in. 

 

It encourages you to save more. 

Sometimes, saving is difficult to do especially if we don’t get our finances in order. However, if you plan to buy a home or choose to buy one in the future, you get motivated and disciplined to save and create a budget. 

Homeowners are known to be financially stable because they stick to a budget. They follow a strict rule in terms of spending and investing, especially when paying bills. However, we’re not saying that you can save more if you don’t own a home. Instead, it motivates you to save even for your kids and your retirement. 

 

You can build your wealth over time. 

Investing in a property helps you build your wealth over time. Real estate values, most of the time, don’t depreciate. It’s a values increases as years pass by, which means that you are also taking care of your long-term investments. 

It’s still the same result even if you opted to get a loan to pay for your home. There’s always a chance that you get double of your investment if you decide to sell your real estate property in the future.

 

You have the freedom to do whatever you want with the property. 

Having a house and land packages wyndham vale also gives you the freedom to whatever you want with the property. You can renovate and enhance the features of your home to increase its value and again, be able to enjoy the space you want and need for you and your family. 

Most of the time, you cannot do this with a rented property. There are a lot of restrictions, and you also have to adhere to specific codes and standards set by the property owner. 

 

A second mortgage for emergencies. 

We don’t hold the future. All we can do is prepare for it, and buying a home can be one of the best steps you can do. If you own your home, then you can get a second mortgage when emergencies arise. 

There are different types of loans that you can choose from. Therefore, you need to get expert advice before you decide on your loan preference. 

 

So, start investing your money today and see it grow with your property!

5 Reasons to Learn from Podcasts

Learning from podcasts have become a lot more common in recent years. The rise of podcasts didn’t just come out of nowhere. The increase in popularity can be attributed to the variety of content that is being dished out daily!

Educational podcasts, in particular, are leading the charge. Though it won’t be as effective as in-person teaching, here are five reasons how you can learn from podcasts!

 

Accessibility & Portability

Podcasts can be listened to whenever and wherever. This portability and easy access make podcasts easy to squeeze in between doing mundane tasks like driving, cooking, or even cleaning!

Students or anyone can learn from podcasts at any point as long as they have space-time by whipping out their phones and putting on their earphones. This makes educational podcasts or a property podcast to learn more!

Making education as accessible as possible is already the goal of educational institutions worldwide – podcasts can be used as a stand-in for that!

 

Podcasts Make Catching Up Easier!

Every student wants to excel in classes. Getting good grades and performing well in class can be difficult when they’ve already missed classes before. 

Missing classes kill whatever motivation a student has-and is falling behind feels incredibly stressful! Recording your lectures into a podcast can help your lesson when it happens!

 

Listening Helps Utilize The Imagination

If you’ve ever heard an audio drama before or an audiobook-you know, you have to use your imagination to picture the events. Letting your mind wander off into the land of daydreams is a lot more difficult when you have to think at the podcasts’ pace!

Not paying attention is not an option if you’re listening to a podcast. This means that if you’re studying, it might be better for you to listen to an audio lecture or a podcast than to watch a video on YouTube.

This could be different for each person, but in general, podcasts keep your attention on the work that you’re listening to!

 

Podcasts Can Accommodate To Different Learning Styles

Everyone learns at their own pace. What works for one student probably won’t work for another. This means that accommodating all the different styles and speeds can get arduous for a teacher to do!

Suppose you want to experiment with your learning style as a student, adding auditory learning through podcasts to the mix with the usual reading and writing! Teachers can also utilize podcasting to spark creative learning in students by making them make their podcasts.

 

Podcasts are Cost-Efficient & Effortless To Create

Creating a podcast doesn’t take much more than a phone, a mic, and you. Microphones aren’t too expensive, and you can hook them into most devices that you own, such as your laptop!

One podcast can be recycled over and over again as teachers get different students. Compared to other forms of less engaging content, podcasts are cheaper and a lot more effective. The platforms make anyone feel engaged and engrossed in studying a material just like Rethink Investing!

There are loads of already existing podcasts as well, so students can look them up. There are over half a million podcasts already active with multiple episodes, and some are even various episodes, and some are even multiple episodes long in bite-sized durations!

5 Steps in Choosing a Lot for Your Home

Building your dream house is an investment of a lifetime. For most people, this home will become their shelter for the rest of their lives. That’s why it is essential to choose the lot where your house will be built correctly.

We understand that this is a big step, so we have here some of the top things to consider in choosing a lot for your future home.

 

1. The Slope and Shape of the Lot

You have to consider the slope and shape of the lot. The slope is an essential factor to consider because it affects water drainage, whether it drains properly or collects the water. This is important because drainage problems will lead to issues with foundation, driveways, septic tanks and landscaping.

Stagnant water can also attract insects which can lead to some health concerns. It’s ideal to choose a lot with proper drainage.

You have to consider the shape of the lot as well. A long narrow lot is different from a square one or a pie-shaped lot. They all have implications as to the size of your yards, distance from your home to the streets, driveways, etc.

If you’re choosing land in Hillstowe, it is best to consult an expert to ask about these things.

 

2. The Direction the Front of the House will Face

You might not realize it, but there are implications on whether your house will face north or south. You have to consider the location of the lot and the weather in your area.

For instance, if there is snow in your area and the front of your house is facing north, then there might be more snow in your driveway since your house will block the sun from melting the snow. But if you have a south-facing home, it can be helpful with the snow, but you have to consider the air-conditioning costs during summer as well.

 

3. Proximity to Schools, Shopping, Work and Recreation

The location of the lot is ideal if it is near the places you regularly visit, like shopping centres, your work, recreation areas and your children’s school. Try to check the location of these amenities. Not everything might be in very close range so it will be up to you to determine if the distance to these places is acceptable.

 

4. Traffic Patterns Around the Lot

You have to consider the traffic patterns in your area as well. Are the roads leading to your future home wide? Is there traffic? Are they always busy?

You also have to consider that if the streets around you are alive, there is a high probability that it will be noisy. Nonetheless, there are laws that govern these circumstances that protect every citizen. 

 

5. Neighborhood Characteristics

Having a good and safe neighbourhood is also important to consider. Since you will be living here for a long time, you would want to check the people that will become your neighbours as well. There are house and land packages in Officer that can help you find the best neighborhood. 

 

Try to check the people in your surrounding homes. Ask around about their recent experience in the place. Check if surrounding areas are well kept. Do some research about the crime rate of the area. Knowing these will help you decide whether the lot is worth buying.

Your Guide to Beachside Living on a Budget

Whether you’ve grown up by the beach or you’ve grown up yearning for the beachside lifestyle, many people want to indulge in beachside living. With some smart styling and some lifestyle changes if you’re willing, there are ways to enjoy the coastal lifestyle without breaking the bank. There are our best tips and tricks on how to invest in a little styling and house, in order to get that summer, sunglasses and saltwater feel. From both the low end of the budget to the high, we’ve got you covered.

More than 85% of Australians live within 50 kilometres of the sea, so it’s no surprise that many want to emulate the feeling of beachside living. Here’s how to do it, to get that quintessential Australian feeling of living by the beach and year-round summer.

 

Actually move to the beach!

In order to pursue beachside living, why not move to the beach if you’re already considering starting a new life? Land for sale near Caloundra on the Gold Coast gives you affordable coastal living, while being connected to all the amenities of nearby urban centres like the Gold Coast and Brisbane. Connected living is important, and master-planned communities can give you the convenience that you need and deserve.

 

Style a newer home to your tastes

When you build a home in a master-planned community such as Harmony, you are able to tailor the styling and design of a home to your tastes. Want open plan living? A professional builder can help you achieve that. If you want to style your home in a beach-like way, you can have a say in paint palettes to echo that of the ocean. We’d suggest baby blues and aqua, paired with pale yellows, cream and white colours. Pair it with some tiles or floorboards and you can bring the outside in even more. And if all else fails, jump on Pinterest to save your inspiration for later use!

 

Bring the beach to you

Go to the beach and collect seashells and ocean memorabilia, to decorate your home in a beach themed way. You can add ocean scents and put beach themed art or photography on the walls. By getting a little creative and taking the time to engage in some crafts, you can not only reflect the beach; you can reflect a piece of your own personality. Home decoration is important so tune into your intuition to know what you’d like to purchase to decorate your home with.

 

By learning to find elements of ocean themed decor that reflect your own personality too, you can create a home design and lifestyle that reflects you as a person. Your home space should reflect your personality and your needs in a way that makes you happy, and living near the beach is one great way of doing that. However, even if you don’t live near the beach, you can make your home still have that coastal essence! Good luck to you on your home styling journey!

What Does a Land Developer Do?

We’ve all heard of land developers, but how many of us know what they actually do? If the name doesn’t give it away, land developers develop. To delve deeper into their job title and the role they play in the housing and construction industry, we’ve written an article to break down some of the common questions people have on land developers. Whether you’re looking to get started or simply trying to learn a little more about the ways of building and buying land in Australia, you’re in the right place

A land developer takes raw land, obtaining the necessary permits and documentation to create building lots, to add sewers, water and electrical lines, and to maintain the streets and curbs. In Australia, the land development industry thrives as these 2017 statistics show Australia’s total land value as $5.8 trillion. There is much opportunity for aspiring developers to shine, with strong governmental incentives for anyone wishing to try their hand at the land development game.

 

What Do You Need to be a Land Developer

To be a land developer building homes anywhere in Australia, you will need a minimum education of at least a Bachelor’s degree. Usually, to get a job in the field of land or real estate development you will need a Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate. These courses are likely to cover core land development concepts such as zoning, site plans, permit acquisitions and subdivision. When the land developer has acquired the land, the builder’s job is then to come in and build the structure. Building and developing are two very separate tasks, different in nature and different in the ways it affects the lives of residents.

 

How Do Land Developers Make Their Money?

In short, residential property developers make their money from maximising the true value of the land on which they purchase. How do they do this? By building separate homes and subdividing them so they’re able to then be sold on to individual buyers as individual dwellings. In the construction industry, a developer is usually considered to be a person developing land through construction who, at the end of the construction process, becomes the owner of developed land. As a general rule, a developer is known to purchase a tract of land, and then determine the marketing plan for the property, develop the building’s program and design, obtain the public approval in order to develop and finance it, build the structures and then rent out, manage and sell it to an individual buyer. Some property developers only undertake part of this process, but it depends on a case by case basis.

 

We hope this article has helped you to understand the nature of a property developer’s work, whether they’re building in New South Wales or producing house and land packages in Queensland. Each land developer’s day to day is likely to look incredibly different, so thinking about the type of land you’d like to develop and see in the end result is a great start. Either way, the land development industry is thriving in Australia with plentiful opportunities for growth and healthy returns.

Keeping Your Children Safe Near Water

Babies love water. They giggle, laugh, and have fun when they hit the water. In the pool or the tub, letting your infant float is one of the best things they can do to enjoy. As such, as parents, it’s our responsibility to make sure that they stay safe while having fun. 

However, before we continue, always remember that teaching your babies to swim is not the best way to prevent drowning. It’s a preventive tool, but this should be accompanied by stringent care and protection by parents and adults. 

 

Keeping kids and babies safe near or in water

Before we talk about swimming and pools, we need to consider first the safety of our kids at home, especially in the following spaces:

  • During baths and in tubs
    Make sure that you have a towel or two in your reach when bathing your baby. Always keep your hands on your baby to ensure safety. It’s also recommended that there should be adult supervision when kids use tubs and, for infants, a safety seat and belt should be added to avoid tipping over.
  • Safety in the bathroom
    Toilet lids should also be put down and must be locked to avoid kids opening it without supervision. Remove all the water from the tub and always close the bathroom door and add a safety lock.
  • Secure all water in the home, especially swimming pools
    Throw away unused or unwanted water in buckets, tubs, or trash cans. Add a safety fence surrounding your pool with a gate and lock. 

 

When should your child get swimming lessons? 

This is one of the most popular questions among parents and the optimal age for babies to learn is when they’re six months or older. During this time, your baby still has not developed the concept of fear, so this makes the best age to enrol in swimming lessons for babies

It’s also recommended that kids and parents should participate in the training because it creates an excellent foundation for learning. Babies will also have to start from the beginning, which is to learn to paddle and kick, and this is where the parent’s assistance comes in handy. 

 

What to look for in swimming programs for kids? 

There are different programs where you can enrol your child to learn how to swim, and these include the following:

  • Infant Self-Rescue where babies are taught how to survive on their own when they’re in the water. 
  • Parent-and-Me Classes are also popular among parents where the child swims with the parents and the professional. 

Choosing the right classes for you and your baby also means assessing if the program has the following:

  • Experienced and qualified instructors and the team also have certified lifeguards. 
  • The class teaches both parents and kids to follow and ensure safety in and near water. 
  • The class you’d want to enrol your kid at should also teach safety and precautionary lessons if they ever get into the water unexpectedly. 
  • The class should require multiple sessions and have an assessment for both the student and the parents when it comes to what they learned. 

 

How to start swimming lessons for your baby?

When it comes to helping your baby prepare for the class, Tanyas Tadpoles recommends the following:

  • Safely and with supervision, let your baby experience the bathtub first. 
  • Don’t let your kid eat right before the class. 
  • Always, always maintain the safety mindset, even if there are lifeguards in the class. 

 

Let your kids enjoy and have fun in the water with the best safety and precautionary measures they can learn from swimming class. Of course, stay safe and keep your baby safe!

Foundation Repair FAQs

If you’re interested in getting foundation repair, or you think your place of work or residence may need foundation repair, this article may help you. We’ve brought together the most commonly asked questions about foundation repair, all with the goal of educating you, the reader, on what to look for, and how to know that it’s time to call in a construction expert.

 

What will a foundation repair cost me?

For property owners, the average cost of a foundation repair is generally slightly higher than $4000, but can go as low as $1800 and as high as $6500. Minor patching jobs to fix small cracks will usually cost as little as $500, while more major structural repair jobs and underpinning can cost as much as $13,000.

 

What is the best way to repair foundation, and can I do it myself?

While for most building repairs we’d recommend calling in a trained professional, especially if you don’t know what you are doing, small foundation issues can be fixed pretty easily, and in the following way. You should dampen the cracked foundation, by spraying it with misted water. Push the hydraulic cement mixture into the crack with a putty knife, before allowing it to dry for an hour (two hours at the very most). Add another extra layer of cement mixture, on top of the crack. You can use a trowel to level the cement patch, making it smooth like the wall surface. 

 

How long will a foundation repair specialist take, to repair cement cracks?

Generally it takes 2 to 3 days, although this highly depends on the context, the nature of the situation and a number of other factors. You should ask this when you are enquiring about foundation repair, as the individual contractor will be able to give you an exact timeframe once they have inspected the site. 

 

What happens after a foundation repair?

After a foundation repair job has been completed, you may notice visible cracks that are still in the walls or bricks. This is completely normal, and does not mean the repair was ineffective. It takes a few weeks to properly see if there have been changes to the pre-existing cracks, as well as checking if new cracks have developed. Once the foundation has settled, you can go back and fill in these cracks. 

 

What happens when you don’t fix a foundation problem in a building?

When you don’t fix the foundation of a building, it leaves the opportunity for mould and mildew to grow, which in turn can lead to the deterioration of the wooden members under your home, as well as the disrepair of beams. Cracks and poor sealing around piers and beam foundation can allow water to find its way into the crawl space. 

 

How do you find the best way to repair foundations?

Here are the most common methods of repairing a building’s foundation: 

  • Steel piers
  • Helical piers
  • Concrete pier foundation repair
  • High density polyurethane foam
  • Segmented piers 
  • Spot piers

 

Is it safe to be in a building with foundation issues?

While it is possible to live and work in a structure with foundation problems, if you are the owner of the building, you’ll be sorry to hear that it can negatively impact the resale value of the property.

Your Guide to the Different Types of Bath Towel Fabrics

 When it comes to bath towels, there are lots of different options available to you, depending on your tastes in a number of areas. Looking for something durable? Or what about something soft to the touch, to give you that hotel room feel? Regardless of what you look for in a towel and how much you’re willing to spend, here is a breakdown of the various common bath towel fabrics you have to choose from.

 First of all, you should decide on the limitations of your budget. There are some great options available to those with a few less dollars to work with, as well as luxury bath towels on offer for anyone willing to spend a pretty penny and invest that little bit more. Either way, the decision is yours, so let’s get into the most common bath towel fabrics.

 

Egyptian Cotton

Towels made from Egyptian cotton are softer and more absorbent. The material is hand picked, leaving the fibres unbroken and straight. This in turn can make it easier to elongate the individual fibres, making for finer yarns with not only more length, but stronger and altogether softer cotton. Regular cotton tends to have more splices. Egyptian cotton was a popular trend, and while equally exciting types of cotton towel have emerged since the height of its popularity, it is still a great choice for anyone looking to invest in quality. 

 

Turkish Cotton

Turkish cotton is priced at a premium, but if you’re happy to splurge a little in the name of a spruced up bathroom space, this strain of cotton might just be for you. With its extra long fibers and fewer joins, this results in stronger, smoother cotton threads. If you’re after a durable towel, this is it. The long fiber cotton is grown in Turkey’s small yet productive Aegean Region. With successive washes, Turkish cotton will become increasingly more soft, fluffy and absorbent.

 

Organic Cotton

Made for the ethical minded is organic cotton. Grown using methods and materials that have a minimal impact on the environment, if you’re looking to walk the walk and practice the environmental values you preach, you should seek to exercise environmental friendliness in as many areas of your life as possible.

 

Microfiber

Microfiber is so incredibly fine; it is a synthetic fiber finer than one denier, decitex or thread. It has a diameter of under 10 micrometres. There are a few different types of microfibers which are made up of polyester materials; this includes polyamides such as nylon, Kevlar, Nomex and trogamide, and well as polyester, polyamide and polypropylene.

 

Hopefully this guide has helped you understand the options from which you can choose, when deciding on a towel. There are many options out there, and through sampling at stores and thinking about which you need, you can find the right material for you.

The Western Suburbs of Melbourne are Growing: Here’s Why

For first-home buyers, families and downsizers, life a step away from the pace of the city is desirable. However, you still wish to be connected to convenience and amenities. That’s why Melbourne’s west has seen substantial growth in recent years, to the point of new suburbs and neighbourhoods being established. Here we explore the most popular Western suburbs of Melbourne, and why they continue to attract an increasing number of buyers.

Here are our two favourite suburbs in Melbourne’s west. They each have a strong potential for growth in the coming years, with many already laying down their roots here. They have ready access to amenities, as well as bringing community spirit and peace to the table.

Sunbury

Sunbury has a population of 36,084, according to the 2016 census. It is a part of Greater Melbourne, and is generally known to be a safe and secure suburb where you can bring up a family. It has a small-town ambience where, if you forget to lock your front door or car, everything will be untouched on your return. There is a great selection of schools on offer for young families, catering to those who wish for a private education, as well as many fantastic public schools. Sunbury is a peaceful hub of connectedness and really, it is unsurprising in its recent rapid growth. There are many house and land packages in Sunbury.

Diggers Rest

Between the city of Melbourne and the goldfields at the height of the Gold Rush, you will find the town of Diggers Rest. The town got its name from its place as a rest spot for travelling gold diggers. Here, diggers would stop for a drink or sleep. The town has many historical buildings and a proud history, though some have burnt down in recent years, only to be rebuilt. This spirit of resilience and growth permeates in Diggers Rest, as it continues to grow in popularity amongst buyers young and old. If you want to be close to the CBD but want that peaceful countryside touch, Diggers Rest is for you. With little passing traffic and safe streets, this charming, quiet suburb lies on Old Calder Highway. It is 30 kilometres north-west from Melbourne city centre, with Diggers Rest house and land packages.

Here are just some of the brilliant suburbs sitting outside of Melbourne, offering buyers convenience at a fraction of the pace. There are many more suburbs worth exploring, if only you expand the bounds of your search for a home that little bit wider. Often, homes in these areas are more affordable and offer the same level of facilities as you would get in the Melbourne CBD.

As more and more people flock to the city, an increasing number of people are moving back to the outskirts as we all realise the potential and possibility that can be found with that extra space (and money in the bank!). Raise your kids, or unwind after children have flown the coop, in a place that suits your way of living. These suburbs represent endless possibilities. Why don’t you explore them today?