New Home Buyers Blog

Many Developers talk of great amenity in their estates and most of the time it is just talk. Berstan Homes have been building quality homes in Stockland Estates now for many years and find that Stockland not only talk about great amenity but also deliver in their numerous estates throughout Australia. Some of their Estates in Victoria which come to mind are Mernda Villages Mernda and Highlands in Craigieburn. These two Estates are glowing examples of master planned communities boasting
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Many of clients commonly ask about our shower bases. Berstan Homes choose tiled shower bases in most cases due to their functionality and appeal.  There is a limitless amount of different tiles available in the numerous tile stores and just as many layout and combinations that can be achieved creating a stunning effect.
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We have been experiencing lately a few of our clients requesting a pond to be part of our landscaping. With the lots getting increasingly smaller it can leave some challenges, however with a little imagination these obstacles can be overcome.  Ponds are of great interest to young and old alike creating a space for adventure and wonderment
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Berstan were able to accommodate any unique requests that they had. Jo and Any were overseas for most of the build but were surprised at how easy the process was to manage remotely. Berstan Homes took care of every little detail and made sure they moved into the home that they imagined. Berstan Homes made the building process seem easy.
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John and Amanda were very happy with Berstan's personal service, right from the initial point of contact right through to the end. It was smooth sailing for the entire build. Berstan promised that they would have the best house in the street and as John and Amanda testify, that is what they got. Berstan were more than happy to take their time to answer any questions that they had. They were good with the little things which helped a lot.
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Many knock down rebuild clients have been disappointed with council decisions with regards to the facade details and buildings allowed to be built.  An easy answer to this is before you purchase the land have a good look around the area for similar home builds and these can be used as reference by your planner with council liaison. 
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There are many reasons people why should now be buying new homes. Interest rates are going down even further. Reduced stamp duty on your purchase, only paying on the land saving you thousands of dollars. Close to the city only 27km. Brand new home with all the warranties that go with it. Stop paying off someone else's home and start paying off your own home. Total fix price contracts available so no hidden extras. Berstan Homes an Australian family building
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Berstan Homes has just completed a knock down rebuild in Oak Park and the entire floor area was Bamboo.  Many of our clients are now choosing Bamboo rather than conventional timber flooring for numerous reasons.  Bamboo is a sustainable product being fast growing and low impact harvesting for the environment. The look of the Bamboo is very similar to conventional timber flooring and very cost effective in comparison. 
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An item that is overlooked by many when doing a knock down rebuild for profit are the tax implications. With everybody's circumstances being different I would strongly recommend a consult with a CPA to determine ones option and possible tax exposure. 
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Berstan Homes has selected Hazelcroft estate in Doreen for the construction of their new display village. The display village will consist of 3 homes; The Astoria46, The Stockton26 and the Javier17.  This is a perfect combination of the prestige high end Astoria range to the exclusive style and quality of the Stockton26 leaving the Javier17 being a quality built affordable home.  We are setting this display village up to cater for all tastes and styles of our clients. Showing the
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Problem garden areas exist in knock down rebuilds and estate builds alike. A way we tackle these areas is with crushed rock and concrete paving slabs. Pre-made concrete slabs are readily available at most hardware stores and garden supply outlets.  With simply levelling the area and allowing a slight gradient away from the home, add the slabs and fill the surrounds with crushed rock. It is very important to allow a gradient for any water to fall away from the
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A great way to cover an ugly area or create privacy in part of your garden is to introduce a timber slatted fence screen. These pre-made timber screens are readily available at your local hardware shop at a reasonable price and look amazing.
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Twelve months ago Berstan Homes started a knock down rebuild in Essendon and the project is now near completion.  This build was a little challenging due to its fall and size of the land. Construction involved a single story semi detached home and a tri-level home with partially underground parking. The build had many unique features including bamboo flooring throughout, hidden laundry and pantry all integrated into the kitchen working zone.  
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Berstan Homes are currently offering retirement packages starting at $300k and are a complete turnkey product. The homes are styled with easy care options low maintenance gardens, easy access kitchens and low care flooring solutions.  Locations include: Mernda Villages in Mernda Eucalypt estate Wollert  Highlands estate Craigieburn These homes are being constructed with easy retirement living in mind. The properties have their own titles and no body corporate or management fees. You own the property outright and have no ongoing
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There are many factors and considerations that need to be investigated when proposing a knock down rebuild. One major item that is often overlooked by purchasers is the setbacks of the joining properties dwellings.  The setbacks of the neighbouring properties will determine the front setback for your new build. The existing setbacks if too large can in some cases impact the ability to build a second dwelling at the rear of the proposed knock down rebuild site, which would have
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A client came to me over the weekend and claimed a major new home builder in Melbourne was overcharging for fly-screens.  On further investigation I found the claim has substance and the company was charging 700% over the cost of the fly-screens. An average home of 20 squares has a fly-screen cost of $280 so the company concerned is certainly charging way over the costs it should be.  Most building companies put a margin on their goods and services supplied
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Stockland Mernda Villages has released another stage at Mernda with 6 lots selling on the day of the release. The lots are sized 213m/2 up to 800m/2 with prices starting at $133k to $298k. Berstan Homes are working with Stockland and have packages including land starting at $289,500k up to the Astoria32 on 800m/2 coming in at $618k. An average 400m/2 lot is selling for $195k which is comparable to most estates in the Mernda area. Berstan Homes and Stockland
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Berstan Homes in the last couple of months has noticed a larger volume of investor activity in the marketplace. The Reserve Bank holding interest rates and the possibility of lowering rates further is great news. Lower rates are not only good for investors but home owners as well. Home & Land Packages is a great way for investors to get a better deal with stamp duty, because lets face it who likes paying it. Existing properties attract full stamp duty
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Berstan Homes has just been awarded a knock down rebuild in Seaford. The Home was extensively damaged by fire prior to Christmas and will need to be demolished, luckily no on was hurt.  The home we are building on site will be a custom design with some unique requests by our client in regards to acoustics. An only true way to have a design you can call your own is a custom designed home.
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I have been advising a few clients lately to make space at the rear of their properties to fit another dwelling in the future. Some of our clients have been a little tight for finance lately to complete a two home build with their knock down rebuild project.  So my advice was to build one home as close to the front boundary with enough space for a rear access driveway for easy second home access. By doing several simple items
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Sales at the Highlands are now entering their 11th year and stronger than ever and currently selling 600 lots per year. This year Stockland hope to sell 900 lots in this master planned community and are well on their way to this sales achievement.  Berstan Homes are working closely with Stockland and are offering home and land packages starting at $297k up to $550k for the Astoria32. The highland estate is filling nicely with varied size of homes with people
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Many people make the mistake of trying to do the pre-works and council liaison for a knock down rebuild on their own and most find out the hard way these works are not for the inexperienced.  I strongly recommend all knock down rebuild pre-works should be handled by the experts and ultimately the whole process will be relatively effortless. The best way to deal with council planners is to employ a company that uses planners to do all the dealing
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Thanks again Mark and Paul for the quality and speed that you guys built my units in Blackburn they all sold well. As you both know it was the second time we have built units together and there will definitely be a third time if I can find some more land. Regards Damian L Doreen
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I recently was at  a Developer Function talking with some other builders and they were expressing concern about a particular Melbourne home builder's dubious method of financing homes. They are promoting and advising First Homes Buyers to take out credit card debt as part deposits for their home loans. This practice is a very poor form of advice leading to many First Home Buyers being in financial hot water before they even move into their home .
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I recently was at a Developer Function talking with some other builders and they were expressing concern about a particular Melbourne home builder's dubious method of financing homes. They are promoting and advising First Homes Buyers to take out credit card debt as part deposits for their home loans. This practice is a very poor form of advice leading to many First Home Buyers being in financial hot water before they even move into their home .
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Very often asked the question is, should we build a development with a party wall or not. There are many advantages to building homes with a party wall, however something to consider is your potential buyers may not be so happy with having one.
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Consideration needs to be applied in regards to the location of a knock down rebuild before purchasing the land. The is no point having the best house in the worst street and the surrounding homes in the area will just detract value from your build.  When selecting a location for a knock down rebuild I always advise clients to consider areas that have already had some similar developments. By applying this strategy your knock down rebuild will have a better
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Signage is now up for the great value Berstan Homes and Stockland home and land packages, starting at $289,500. The home and land packages are a turnkey product with everything you would expect from a quality Berstan home.  The locations of these packages are selected by Stockland & Berstan Homes for easy shopping and public transport convenience. The packages are suitable for first home buyers or down sizes and retirees looking for a quality home. 
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One factor many seem to overlook with a knock down rebuild site purchase is the areas growth,  An easy way of checking the growth of an area is to join up to a company such as RP Data, of course there are many others.Companies like RP Data specialise in providing growth statistics of areas.  An area with steady growth is in my opinion the best area to consider a knock down rebuild instead of an area with high growth. 
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Many First Home Buyers are becoming more interested in purchasing an Investment Property. This can be a sound idea and able to set yourself up well for the future. With many First Home Buyers still living at home this gives a great opportunity for saving and investing. Berstan Homes have investor packages starting at around $290K and well worthy of investigation with rental from these properties around $320 per week makes them a sound investment.
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