Found your dream block of land?
If you are considering buying vacant land, we highly recommend you undertake the following four simple actions:
- Undertake a free dial before you dig search online to discover any unregistered easements (our searches will reveal any registered easements) – https://www.1100.com.au/
- Check out the relevant Council’s Planning and Development (PD online) resources – most councils have a host of valuable planning and development information related to the site which is accessible online
- Confirm that the site isn’t bound by any building covenants (particularly in new estates) and if so, ensure you are comfortable with these before proceeding; and
- Make your contract subject to a satisfactory soil test report. Coming out of the ground is the biggest risk with any build project and you want to be sure that you have budgeted enough.
A sample ‘subject to soil test’ is below:
“This contract is subject to and conditional upon the Buyer being satisfied in the Buyer’s absolute discretion with the results of the soil test to be conducted, by the Buyer, on the Property, within 14 days from the contract date. If the Buyer is not satisfied, the Buyer may terminate this contract by notice, given in accordance with the Terms of the Contract, to the Seller and this contract shall be at an end and the Deposit must be promptly refunded to the Buyer without deduction.
The Seller hereby authorises the Buyer and its consultants to enter the Property for the purpose of conducting the soil test.
The Seller acknowledges that this special condition is for the benefit of the Buyer and may only be waived or exercised by the Buyer.”
Finally, if you have any queries regarding buying vacant land, you are always welcome to pick up the phone and speak to a Map Lawyers conveyancer who can guide you through the process.
