Pre Purchase Investigations

Some Important Pre-purchase Investigations

This list is not exhaustive, and each property presents unique constraints and opportunities.

1. Certificate of Title
Check for restrictive covenants, particularly single-dwelling covenant. Check for existence of easements.

2. Planning Certificate Check zoning Check for overlays.

3. Water Authority
Check locations of sewers on property and adjoining properties.

4. Council
Check location of council storm water drains on property and adjoining properties.

5. Trees
Check for existing trees on property.
Check for existing trees on adjoining properties.

6. Front setbacks
Check front building setbacks of adjoining properties. (These setbacks will determine your front setback)
Properties abutting parkland (and possibly schools) – require larger rear and side setbacks, resulting in greater wastage.

8. Sites on main roads require enhanced vehicular access resulting in greater wastage.

9. Location and orientation of adjoining dwellings.

10. Location and orientation of adjoining windows, particularly north-facing habitable-room windows.

11. Sloping sites are more problematic(and more costly to build on) that flate sites

12. Townhouse developments and double-storey developments abutting the site, or in immediate
vicinity will generally benefit your development in terms of obtaining Council approval.

13. Corner sites can sometimes present better development outcomes.

14. Irregular shaped sites result in greater land wastage, compared to rectangular sites.

15. Sites with frontages less than approx. 17.5m. will GENERALLY be unsuited to single garages with tandem visitor parking.

These steps might be a good help to some of you that are trying to evaluate if a property is suitiblt to develop on. Take this as a guideline and not profesional advice, as i am only learning too.[biggrin]

“It’s not how much money you make, It’s how you spend it that matters.”

Aspiring property developer

Giulio Taranto