Unexpected costs when buying your first home. Once you've found a property you can afford, it can be easy to miss many other costs associated to buying or holding a property. In this market insight we share some cost to look out for before committing to your purchase. Council and water rates Once you own the property, you'll need to pay council and water rates. Generally payable on a...
Will working from home change floor plans? The global pandemic (AKA covid-19) has caused inevitable change in the way we socialise, relax and work. It has no doubt changed our lives forever and we either learn from it or we get stuck in the now. In this market insight, we discuss how working from home may become the norm for many years or even decades to come. The days of a corporate office may never be...
An introduction to settlement. When buying off the plan, buyers have to wait for their dream home or investment property to be completed. In this market insight we outline the steps required to satisfactorily settle a house and land package. What is Settlement? Settlement is the date when the property title is transferred into the name of the purchaser, and the balance of the purchase price...
The correlation between land-to-asset ratio and capital growth. Not all investors make note of this fundamental in their investment decisions. Some of the more experienced investors would have heard this term, but many don't quite understand how to use it. In this market insight, we discuss what a land-to-asset ratio is, how it can demonstrate capital growth potential and how not to use...
Why choose longer title timeframes? When buying off the plan, house and land packages have been incredibly popular over the last three years. At Crest Property Investments, we have seen supply heavily outstrip demand. This has caused many buyers to consider buying longer title timeframes to own their dream home or that perfect investment property. While longer title time-frames can sound...
What sort of construction happens before land titles? When buying a house and land package, the build obviously can't commence until the land settles in your name. There is quite a bit of construction relating to the land component and in this market insight we share some of the process to help you appreciate why it takes time for a land allotment to title. Here is a snapshot: Construction of...
Return of private inspections. In accordance with the Victorian Government's announcement, we're excited to confirm the return of private inspections. We can now offer buyers the opportunity to walk through display homes via private appointments. This took effect as of 11.59pm Friday 17th September. As we specialise in sourcing brand new and off the plan properties for buyers, we have hundreds...
The new HomeBuyer Fund was announced by the Victorian Government on the 8th October 2021. Premier Dan Andrews revealed a $500 million scheme that’s expected to support more than 3,000 Victorians becoming home owners. This welcoming news is to improve housing affordability and to attempt further stability. Premier Dan Andrew also mentioned, “The pandemic has heightened financial pressures for...
What is stamp duty? Here is a guide to understanding stamp duty in Victoria when purchasing a direct residential property. Before purchasing a property, it's wise to assess the stamp duty implications to ensure you can afford the total cost of buying a home. What is stamp duty? In Victoria is also known by the term 'land transfer duty'. It is essentially incurred when a buyer purchases a...
Top 10 trends when building a new house. The property market has been in high demand in recent months. Many investors and owner occupiers have been taking advantage of various government stimulus packages and buying various types of properties in different locations. At Crest Property Investments we have seen some common trends with what people are looking for when building a house and land...