Rich Harvey

The other things to think about is the aspect and the slope of the land that you're buying on.

What's the street like?

I wouldn't be buying on a busy road.

I'm never going to buy next to a petrol station.

I'm never going to buy next to an industrial park where there's potential for noise and pollution.

All of those things are things you should never compromise on because once you've bought there, you're sure you can buy it cheaper, but you're always going to be selling it at a cheap price because it's got that impediment over the land.

So they're the things that I'd look for.

And the other thing is if there's like a easement or some sort of restriction over the land, like it might have an electricity staunch next door or a stormwater pipe running around the back, they're things that you've just got to take into account if you really want to buy in that location.

Again, this comes back to you writing down that list between the essential and desirable elements of your home.

So what can you compromise on?

Perhaps you can compromise on a carport instead of a garage.

And maybe you can build a garage at some future point.

If it's only got three bedrooms, is the ability to add another story or add another bedroom?

So look at all the cosmetic and renovation things that you can do.

What can you compromise on?

What about the construction?

Do you have to have a double brick home?

Are you happy with a brick veneer home perhaps?

You know, there's a lot of really great building products out there where you can actually buy an old timber clad home and then get it rendered, even with hebel bricks and other types of materials that make it much more insulated.

so don't feel that just because you're buying a more rundown home that you're really compromising and getting a dud property if you've got the budget to renovate you can generally buy the property a lot cheaper and then bring it up to speed and bring and add your own personal touches to it over time so when i'm looking out there for a client i say to them let's find a home that's in the right location that's got the right aspect the right land size that's going to be future proof for your family and you can raise your family in this area