New Home Buyers Blog

Over the weekend we were looking for a few display home items and we came across Matt Blatt in Richmond and what an amazing variety in store. The Matt Blatt store had everything we were looking for offering quirky and modern pieces with a realistic price point. We managed to find some perfect cushions and various knick-knacks to finish off our new display homes.
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Most of us like saving money and when it comes to buying appliances, I would recommend a visit to Fowles auction group. Fowles Auction group have regular weekly auctions with bargain prices that can save you a small fortune! Just recently the group has started selling second hand display furniture another way to save.
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Yes that's right interest rates are on hold again so what are you waiting for it's time to buy an investment property! Berstan Homes have a selection of investment property packages at the moment with price ranges between $340k to $700k. Berstan Homes select the land for our investment packages with a strong precedence on security and capital growth. We are also able to manage your investment property for you, our professional agent partners are the best in the business.
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With a never ending amount of thieving being carried out in new builds Berstan Homes have for some time been installing appliances on the day of handover. We are strongly advising our clients to install alarm systems for the security of their properties. A standard alarm system installed in our homes is around $1200, a small cost I feel for peace of mind and security.
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Excitingly, Berstan homes will be screened on The TV show Australia's Best Houses on 7two this Friday at 10.30pm EST, and the home being featured is our Astoria43. This episode allows us to show case our design difference and workmanship that set Berstan Homes apart from the rest. Berstan Homes are currently building several Astoria's in Glen Waverley, Blackburn, Wollert and Eltham with all being customized to suit our client's wishes. Our Astoria range are the perfect home for the
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Berstan Homes are currently experiencing a large volume of clients looking for investment properties. Mernda Villages and Aurora at Wollert are proving to be favourites. Investing in property at the moment with interest rates being at a history making low level is certainly helping our clients make the property investment decision easy.
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Some of our clients lately have been asking for glass splashbacks in their laundries and I must admit they look very impressive. We have installed glass splash backs at a couple of our new displays with plenty of interest from our new home buying clients.
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Berstan Homes are currently about to start another dual occupancy in Bentleigh. Berstan Homes are finding Bentleigh to be a very popular area for knock down rebuilds and dual occupancies are certainly the flavour of the time. Most clients are selling one of the homes and retaining the other for themselves and considering the age of the houses in the Bentleigh it is little wonder our clients choose the knock down new build option. By doing a knock down new build it
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At Berstan Homes we use Dunlop underlay on all of our projects and find it to be a superior product to most on the market. Our suppliers and installers Carpet Call install the Dunlop underlay on all of homes with great results. Having the best underlay makes a substantial difference to all carpets.
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After finishing one of our resent knock down rebuilds in Templestowe there were several key areas of interest in this home. One stand out feature was the Eric Jones staircase constructed from solid Australian hardwood with handmade iron balustrading curved to create interest. Call Berstan Homes today to see what features we can design into your new home.
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Berstan Homes are currently quoting plenty of knock down rebuilds in the Bentleigh area. Bentleigh’s ageing houses are a maintenance nightmare and with the cost of doing a knockdown rebuild being more cost effective than renovating it’s the smart choice. A knock down rebuild is the only real way to achieve the design and style home you require. Bentleigh’s location and easy access to the CBD is a massive draw card for this lovely suburb. Berstan Homes offer a complete
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Custom home builder Berstan Homes are a family owned and operated building company specializing in custom home building and knock down rebuilds in Bentleigh. Everybody is different especially when it comes to their homes design and style. With so many lifestyle and family needs it makes sense to use a custom home builder to achieve your dream home design. Berstan Home offer a design, drafting service, engineering and building solution that will make your dream home come true.
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This is a very popular question and a worthy one of plenty of thought. Most homes have 3 or 4 bedrooms, however we have been finding lately some of our clients requesting on our double story designs to have four bedrooms up on the first floor with a fifth bedroom located on the ground floor. The fifth bedroom is a very handy addition to any home and being on the ground floor is a real bonus for those older visitors
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Berstan Homes has been surprised lately at how many clients are asking for double showers to the master bedrooms. One of the many advantages to having a custom home built is you can have the home designed the way you want it and not somebody else. Extra size breakfast bars are also proving to be large ticket item this year. The old favourite by far is still storage form extra cupboards to extended garage spaces creating larger storage areas.
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All the team at Berstan Homes would like to take this opportunity to wish Jarryd a speedy recovery from the recent news of the melanoma recurrence. Our best wishes are with you Jarryd for your journey ahead.
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The great autumn weather certainly bought the buyers out over the weekend we had plenty of couples visit our display village with strong interest in all categories of homes. We had several potential clients interested in our Astoria43 for knock down rebuild projects in Doncaster, Mitcham and Canterbury. On both days we also had couples showing plenty of interest in our Stockton26 for knock down rebuilds as well. What really caught my attention and very concerning were some investor’s comments
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Don't fix your interest rates till later in the year the big four are all saying the reserve bank will cut rates even lower. Interest rates are currently at historical lows and with the future predictions that interest rates will drop even further spells opportunity for investors. An investment in bricks and mortar is now within reach of many new home buyers and home owners looking for an investment property. Berstan Homes have homes with land starting at $321k. Investment
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Years ago wall papering was all the rage and I remember in 1975+ it was everywhere. Years have now passed and yes wall paper is back again with most display homes having at least one room wall papered. We choose a soft green coloured wall paper for one of our display room walls and I feel a sense of relaxation when I enter this lovely room. Quality wall paper can be purchased at Bunnings and can easily be self-installed.
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Yes Stockland and Berstan Homes have teamed up again with their yearly affordable home and land packages. Every year Berstan and Stockland put together a small group the very affordable value packages throughout the Stockland estates. These great packages are designed and price pointed at first home buyers, retirees, downsizers and investors. The locations this year are Mernda Villages in Mernda and Eucalypt in Wollert. The packages offer a turnkey solution with prices starting at $320k. The packages are available
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Renovating a home seems to be a more cost effective way of upgrading the home but there are so many traps. Financially a renovation in nearly all cases runs over budget because there are so many things that can go wrong. It is practically impossible for any builder to give a fix price on an renovation due to the unknown, what's behind that wall, what are the foundations like, what is the roof structure like, what's the condition of the
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Local Blackburn builder Berstan Homes has been having an increasing number of enquires lately for dual occupancy developments. Dual occupancy homes in Blackburn are selling for excellent prices lately and this is fuelling the strong enquiry at Berstan Homes. We have several standard designs that are proving very popular with our clients in Blackburn.
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How much do I need to borrow? This is a very commonly asked question and I answer our clients with the following. Firstly what can you afford without being over extended? What size home and design are you looking for?  The size and design of your home will need to fit within your budget so your budget will dictate as to your home options. If you’re looking for a home and land package this will give you more flexibility with
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Record low interest rates are the way to make some serious money! Now is the time to start investing in property Berstan and Stocklands have a red hot deal for investors at the moment with packages staring at $322k. The investor packages have rental returns of around $320 per week and an average yearly growth of 5% which equates to a return on investment of around 25+%. Most of our investment packages have tenants ready to move in prior to
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Berstan Homes are currently in the process of obtaining the building permit for a knock down rebuild in Mimosa Street Glen Waverley.  The home has been custom designed by the Berstan Homes design team with close consultation with our clients. The new home is a 45 square master designed home based on Berstan Homes Astoria43. Designed with entertaining in mind the home boasts three expansive living zones and open plan kitchen meals areas. Construction will be starting shortly on this
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Berstans great value for money and honest approach convinced Bob and his wife that Berstan were the choice for them. The whole process was made easy and seamless by their helpful builder and friendly staff. "Well done Berstan Homes"!
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Berstan Homes have been noticing changes with styling in 2016 with a strong interior design push towards timber features. With some very interesting application through out the homes, including ceilings, cabinetry and staircases. Timber vaulted ceilings over our kitchen areas are proving to be a big hit.  Timber staircases are also showing as a big favourite this year with our Astoria range and also our French provincial range home the Florence51. Timber features throughout the home bring certain warmth and
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On the Entry to our Humphrey17 display home we have used a yellow wall at the entrance yes yellow! The use of a yellow wall helps warm and create an inviting vibrant feel to a normally boring area.  This can be toned down by the use of some blue prints and some interesting art for a great effect.
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Just what is exactly in a butler’s pantry? Well this is a big topic; we have clients with many different requests for their butler’s pantry inclusions. The requests range from ovens, sinks, a second dish washer, microwaves, steamers, fridges and plenty of cupboards are all on the list.  Another very popular inclusion is a window for natural light and this can also create a great feeling of dimension to the space.
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Just what is exactly in a butler’s pantry? Well this is a big topic; we have clients with many different requests for their butler’s pantry inclusions. The requests range from ovens, sinks, a second dish washer, microwaves, steamers, fridges and plenty of cupboards are all on the list.  Another very popular inclusion is a window for natural light and this can also create a great feeling of dimension to the space.
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Late last week I met up with a couple of potential clients in Eltham, and their story was a common one. This particular couple had been in the planning permit merry -go -round for four very frustrating years. The couple had engaged an architectural company to design their home and apply to council for a planning permit. What I found out was very upsetting; they not only wasted four years getting a planning permit but they have ended up with
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