Everyone is eagerly waiting to see if the $25,000 Homebuilders Grant will be extended beyond the 31st of December .
At the moment you have to sign a build contract before the 31st of December(it must be dated after the 4th of June) .The building groundworks(ie site cut and clear) need to have commenced within 3 months of the date of the signed build contract ,as well as the first progress payment paid. 
​With my fixed priced and turn-key builders, the first progress payment is the 5% deposit(this deposit is paid when the plans are Council approved). But is seems that the $25,000 is paid only after the slab is down and the slab invoice, receipt and proof of the slab(ie a photo) have been submitted. However the slab, from what I can understand ,doesn't have to be poured within the 3 month timeframe.
Getting towards the end of the year is going to be very tricky with meeting the 3 month requirement to have plans approved and the site cut. Builders, certifiers, the Council all wind down at the end of the year and the building industry generally has a shutdown of around 3 weeks.
So if you are thinking of taking advantage of the grant now is the time...but you will need to buy registered land so that the timeframe can be met. There is no time to wait for land to "be made" it needs to be ready now. 
There are a few estates left with land registered mainly in the Hunter and the Central Coast, with a few blocks here and there around Newcastle.
Fingers crossed the Government addresses the grant in the budget , to help the construction industry and potential home owners  well into 2021!!
For further information on House and Land packages with registered land , give me a call.
Kerri-Ann 0402 107 194
*advice is of a general nature

Alot of the big display builders are offering large cash discounts at the moment. But did you know you will be paying for the discount later on in the build?
Most of the bigger builders' contracts are not fixed priced. Meaning that the build contract price will most likely be added onto during the build, due to extra site costs and extra Basix or Council requirements that are not covered in the contract. 
A common example is rock, alot of blocks have rock that needs to be removed when the builder is cutting the block. The builder needs to dig it out, which is costly and time consuming, the rock has to be loaded onto trucks and the rock needs to be disposed of. Most of the big builders have a rock clause in their contracts stating that they are not responsible for this cost , this can mean an extra bill of around $20,000....and remember it is not only when they are digging for the slab that they can strike rock, but also when the plumber is digging to connect the drainage that they can encounter this problem.
Another example is fill, either the import or export of soil is needed to level the land for your slab. This is another clause in bigger builder contracts that can cost up to $3,000 extra
A further example is piering, the majority of builders will set the amount of piering allowance. Piering is drilling down to solid ground so the slab can be stabilised. The majority of times the piering allowance is not enough and it is not uncommon to see a bill for $1000 extra.
In regards to Turn-key-it means that the builder provides everything inside and out, the client does not need to organise any trades to pour the driveway ,or put up a retaining wall, it is all completed.
Again most of the big builders do not provide this service, at the end of the build the client is left with a lovely house but they have to move a big pile of dirt from the front yard and have sheets at the window because the builder did not provide blinds.
The price of Landscaping without retaining and a driveway is around $20,000 and retaining walls could be anywhere from $3000-$5000 depending on what is needed. A big cost if your block has over 1 metre of slope.
Just ask the question when you receive the build quote from the big builder who is offering a huge discount, what isn't included in the build price?...and if you have an extras bill of around $50,000 at the end of the build ,how will you pay for that? Are you on a strict budget?
You may be surprised at how affordable a fixed priced and turn-key builder is, they may not have the gorgeous display homes to look through but their pricing is honest and genuine with no hidden surprises..it's worth thinking about!

What your builder isn’t telling you
We all love looking at the display homes and being dazzled by all the shiny tiles, huge rooms with high ceilings and gorgeous outdoor BBQ areas.
But are all these inclusions and the display home plan exactly what you are getting when you sign on the dotted line?.
More often than not No.
With some of the big building companies the display home Inclusions are anything but standard.
You want downlights? No... you only receive the baton, you want carpet and tiles…no they are not included in the standard price and a driveway …well who needs that??
Before you sign any building contract you need to ask your builder about their standard inclusions and these items as well:
*BASIX The Building Sustainability Index-this accesses the energy efficiency of the home and is a requirement of NSW Councils…is the correct Water tank and the right water saving taps included.
*BUSHFIRE Requirements-most blocks of land have a Bushfire Rating…a BAL rating, if the home does not have the correct Bal requirements for example gutter guards then the home will not be approved by Council.
*CORRECT SLAB rating-all soil has a specific type and classification and the slab thickness depends on this classification …has the correct slab type been included?
*ROCK-has rock removal been included in the price? This not only applies to when the builder is excavating but when the plumber is digging for the drainage.
*WATER/SEWER CONNECTION-is there enough allowance for the water/sewer to be connected to your home-have they allowed enough linear metres?
*SOIL and SPOIL REMOVAL-if the builder has to dig out the block for the foundations, where does the extra dirt go? is this included if he needs to take it away to the tip?
*TREE REMOVAL-Often a block needs a good tidy up before building can commence, is the removal of trees and site clearing of overgrown grass and shrubs included? Are you expected to have the block completely cleared?
*EASEMENTS-check if there are any sewer or water easements on your block this can affect how your house is positioned…if the house needs to be moved will it affect the cost
*ALFRESCO-this area is a must nowadays but check if the roof and flooring are included in the price
*LANDSCAPING-although most people feel they can do this themselves…some estates require landscaping to be completed within 3 months of moving in..Does your builder provide turf and fencing?
All these items if not included can cost up to $50,000 extra…and most of the time people do not find this out till they are half way through the build, or at their colour selection appointment.
Having a fixed priced turn-key builder..and I mean a proper fixed priced builder (not a builder who says Fixed Priced with a huge asterix next to the price)…all these worries are eliminated…all these items are included and the home is completed inside and out…so all you need to do is move your furniture in!!
So when you are visiting that display home that is your dream...and you ask for a quote, make sure you ask for all these items to be included so you won’t receive any nasty surprises!