The Avenue - Schofields

Hi,

Anyone here building a home soon in The Avenue especially on Stage 1? Just curious how the land registration is going..

We got a lot in Stage 4 and is currently looking at builders. We're unsure if it's a good idea to sign a tender this early to lock-in price for 1 year. We were told that our land will be registered End of 2014 though, but we know it could be extended.

Any information on The Avenue would help

Thanks!!

Best advice is that you bide your time until you are much closer to the point that you can start to build. If your land won't be registered until end of 2014, you will likely be waiting a while for critical information anyway ( i.e. Soil classification, etc ).

Just focus on saving $$$ and doing your research. Learn all you can about the building process (most important), costs involved and builders. Try and get an idea from talking to a number of builders of some itemised costs for building a house on your block ( council/estate costs, site costs, build costs, upgrades, floor coverings, landscaping ).

Don't let the sales people try and hook you in with upgrade offers or deals. Make this a rule for yourselves for at least 6 months.

Work towards narrowing down a few builders that you are seriously interested in and determining those you will get tenders from.

Try and get a feeling from these forums and other research, how long your preferred builds will take to build your house and what sort of dramas you may get along the way. Some builders will be a smooth ride, others will be extended pain and heartache.

Thanks maximus for a great advice!
As first time home-owners, this forum is really helpful

Read some advice I posted here:

http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?p=1052834#p1052834

( although waiting for land registration will probably delay getting geotechnical and soil type info )

Also look for bashworth's posts and blog.

http://www.anewhouse.com.au/

Just called their sales office and they mentioned the settlement date for Stage 1 has been delayed for a couple of weeks (Xmas) and will most probably occur in January.

Settlement for Stage 2 will be late Feb or March 2014...

Thanks for the update

Did you consider the bushfire alert level on your tender with Elderton?
It was stated in Planning Certificate Section149 that the Council's Bush Fire Prone Land Map as being: Category 1 Type Vegetation within 100m buffer Category 1. Did you have this as well?

Thanks!

Yes, I have that as well in the Planning Certificate but they mentioned since my block is not facing the park/bush, I don't have to worry about it. They're going to clear out that entire block of land anyway, so I don't think it'd be a major issue...

Hi,
We have purchased in stage one and had recent advice that registration won't be occurring until mid-late Feb. I suggest this is due to major infrastructure and service works. I would assume once intitial works are complete that rolling out the subsequent stages should occur a bit quicker. All that being said, Mirvac told us when we purchased that rego would occur in October 2013 so don't make any assumptions.

Most builder will negotiate a fixed price tender for an extended period to get your business - you will need to be upfront and have this as one of you're essential requirements.. they will just not lock in the bits which will vary such as levelling and salinity requirements (unless they include H class slab in the package anyway).
We did rush into signing our tender a little quickly and probably should have researched/negotiated a few more things up front. Do you're research and get to know your preferred builder and the sales people. We are finding lot of little "upgrades" we want/need to include which are quickly adding up - it's mostly OK but learning at a cost always hurts a little.

Good luck!

Thanks at the avenue

Glad to know more members are building at The Avenue, that way we can get updated with what's going on.

Good luck on your build!

Hi There,

We have a lot in Stage 4 also. We have looked at what seems like hundreds of display homes and keep coming back to just one, so we will probably lock in the price this year for the build.

I must say this forum was a great help putting my mind at ease as a first home buyer.

I'd be interested to know if people are building doubles or singles?

We have a 437m2 bock and are building a Double. We are spending a fair bit more than originally planned but it seems like the market will support it. There's a new Rawson Homes development going in accross the road(adjacent to St Joseph's School) with pricing starting from $670k and block sizes starting at 320m2.

We are doing a Single on a 437m2 block.

We're building a Single on a 320m2 block.

Hello there! Also has a block in Stage 4. Glad to see this thread slowly growing. We are looking at building a double on a 350sqm land.

Hi we are also buiding the 320 m2 block with Mirvac. Can you PM the lot number and Builder details?

We're building a double on a 300m2 block...

I've PM-ed some of you with my email - please check your inbox - looking forward to knowing you neighbours!

I agree with maximus, take your time looking at builders and designs.

After a lot of searching I am now at the tender stage (2nd tender with the same builder) and design flexibility is very important for me. I have found that some builders are very rigid with their designs and will only make minor changes while some are very flexible and will even do custom designs. They all vary with prices for these modifications too however some are quite reasonable. Just another thing to consider if it's is important to you.

I am Building a double on a 400sqm block, hopefully I will be ready for registration...

Anyone from Stage 1 who has news about the registration date?

I spoke to Mirvac on Tuesday, they told me that registration is expected in approximately a week. They are waiting on Council and Land Titles to approve it.

I have a feeling we will find out at the 'meet your neighbors' thing next week.

[quote="Gilberga"]I spoke to Mirvac on Tuesday, they told me that registration is expected in approximately a week. They are waiting on Council and Land Titles to approve it.

I have a feeling we will find out at the 'meet your neighbors' thing next week.[/quote

that's wonderful news then! we were there last month and michael let us in to have a look at the lots. street names are up! and the streets looked really wide. it was exciting walking around there!