It is always super exciting for my clients when they see their slab of their house has been poured...and we experienced that excitement this week!!
We are building a two storey home...so the footprint isn't as long as the standard single storey home...but it is so exciting to see where the garage will be,the downstairs rooms and the alfresco!! We can also see where the pipes for the kitchen,laundry and powder room will be..as well as the drains for the guttering and downpipes.
We have had great weather for the pouring of concrete(not great for our farmers I know)...the concrete will cure in no time and the builder will hopefully start on the frames later this week.
With most homes we are having a termite mesh ,this is normally a green or blue material, placed around the edges of the slab as protection against termites...the termite protection has a lifetime warranty but this is based on our home being checked every year by a pest inspector to make sure no termites are munching away! 
Next stage Frame...this is where it starts to look like a house!!

Our plans have been approved and work has begun!!
Like everyone who decides to go on the building journey knows...one of the most frustrating parts of the build is actually waiting for the plans to be approved by Council or the Certifier.
But our wait is over!Our plans have been stamped and our builder G Developments has cut the block...yay!!
The next stage is the plumbing,the pipes need to go in before the slab and then after that the concreter will form up for the slab and pour it.
From when the block is cut to when the slab is down,this can take up to 2 weeks, depending on the weather conditions and if the builder needs to carry out any further work on the block, for example a retaining wall needing to be built prior to the slab being poured.
I will post another update when the slab has been poured...it is very exciting!!

Our plans are now with the certifier who guides the plans through the Council process...so this is the stage we need to have patience...it is a waiting game for plans to be approved...this could take 4 weeks or 12 weeks we just don't know!
If you are at this stage as well you may be starting to get to know your neighbours, you might see them out at your block of land or you might receive a phonecall from them,introducing themselves.
One of the main issues at this stage with neighbours is paying for the fencing on your boundaries.
If you are with a builder like us who offers a turn-key package then fencing is included in the build price and the builder reimburses the neighbour.
However there are generally a few rules with this,mainly that the neighbour cannot organise a fence without the builders approval or put the fence up and then demand payment.The builder generally requires a few quotes from the neighbours and the bill may not be paid until later on in the build of your home. The colour of the fence can also be an issue,with all parties having to agree.
It is best to explain the above to your neighbours as soon as possible if fencing is included in your build contract,otherwise things can get a bit heated!
If fencing is not included in your build contract and you have to pay for it yourself,your neighbours still have to abide by the fencing act and give you notice of the fence they are proposing with a few quotes.
​Hopefully it all works out and there are no tensions!!

One of the most exciting things when building a new home is that you get to pick all your own colours!! This can either be from prepared Colour Boards or totally from scratch.
We did a mixture of both with our builder G Developments.They have 10 external colours and 6 internal colours,so we mixed and matched some and picked tiles outside of the standard range at their supplier National Tiles.
The Colour Selection Stage can be the time when people get carried away and spend alot of money on extras,so having a budget is the key!Also with some builders it is the stage where you get a rude shock and find out simple inclusions like downlights, flyscreens,carpet or a dishwasher are not included in your build price.
Luckily for us our builder is fixed priced and turn-key-so that means everything is included and if we want something outside of the standard inclusions we pay extra,this is what we did with the tiles.
We have decided on a light grey tile for the main living areas that looks like timber ,which I am obsessed with!!,with pale grey walls and a white and grey kitchen... I plan to add touches of blues and Hampton Style furniture when we move in. Our main bathroom will be white and grey with the ensuite a more neutral sandy stone colour
Our plans are still with the architect...
We are still being patient...the drafting process does take 4-6 weeks...hopefully the next update will be about the plans being ready for Council!!

Our land has settled yay!! All documents were correct for the bank and the land settlement occurred without a hitch thanks to Fiona at Impero Conveyancing!
The next step is the building process!!
With the land settled the builder can order a Contour survey and soil tests.A contour survey accurately records the boundaries and the slope of the land.Soil tests are ordered to determine the class of the soil.The type of soil determines the thickness of the slab.This process takes around 2 weeks.
The next stage will be the drafting of the plans for Council.

And so my building journey begins! I thought it would be great to start a blog on the building of my own family home. Considering this is what my business is about...Building a new home!!
I will talk about all the steps that need to be taken from buying the land to selecting colours! 
Giving everyone an idea on what is involved in building.
This is our fifth build! My husband and I love building and we surprisingly agree on colour schemes! I think we would be really grumpy with each other if we had to renovate.. too much stress and too much mess!!
This picture is our block of land. We brought the land in April 2017-paid our $1000 deposit and then paid 5% of the land price on "exchange of contracts" 2 weeks later.
The block wasn't even "built" ,all we could see was a big giant pile of dirt up on the hill and knew it was around that area according to the estate plan. From this plan we could also tell the measurements of the block and the slope the land would probably have. For our block the slope is under half a metre.
This is the tricky bit with banks...they can't actually identify the block in these early stages,most people have a pre approval from the bank(the bank tells them how much they can borrow) at this stage and then it is a matter of taking a "leap of faith" with paying the deposit to exchange contracts because the formal loan approval cannot happen until closer to Registration.
Registration is where the land is registered with the LPI office (land and property information) and the boundaries are clearly marked and can be identified by Council.This is also the time that the builder can see the land clearly and the bank can send the valuer out to look at the land.
Buying a block of land off the plan happens all the time.The land sells so quickly in Newcastle that land developers release stages for sale with a registration date 6-12 months after the sale.
Around January this year we were given notice that our land would be registering very soon,so we needed to organise our Finance. Up to this point we had a pre-approval and so it was action stations when were given this notice and all our pay slips and other information were forwarded to the bank so a bank valuation could be ordered for the Formal approval to be given,
We had house plans drawn up by then as well, we are building with one of our Fixed Priced Turn-key builders.They have their own architect who, for a fee ,can draw up a concept plan with all the ideas you have in mind and present it to the builder for the fixed price. This is an awesome service because we were very clear on what we wanted and couldn't find that within their standard plans.
Our block registered mid February this year ,as soon as this happened we were given notice that we needed to Settle on the land within 2 weeks.
We are now waiting for Settlement and are checking that everything is okay with the bank and conveyancer for settlement day.
After settlement happens the builder can move forward with the building process!!
This will be the next exciting step!
​Kerri-Ann

Appletree Grove Estate is being developed in West Wallsend providing new housing and investment options for Newcastle and the Hunter.

Appletree Grove Estate is ideally located minutes from the F3 Freeway, close to schools and shopping centres. Past the popular suburb of Cameron Park, from Appletree Grove Estate you can easily access the Link Road into Newcastle or take a scenic drive to the Hunter Valley Vineyards. 

Developers of this Estate are keeping with the well established heritage feel and infrastructure of West Wallsend and Holmesville, ensuring that new housing and facilities complement the surrounding dwellings.

With plenty of opportunities for house and land packages for both first home owner and investor budgets, this is a great time to take advantage of the First Home Owners Grant. 

Also, we offer the most  friendly and accessible property management in Newcastle. 

The team at Carnelian have been reflecting on the changes they have witnessed in the building industry.

Twenty years ago in most Lake Macquarie suburbs, hardiplank was the trend in building. It was popular because you could paint the house any colour you wanted (one client painted her house purple and pink) and it was very cost effective and quick to build.

In most recent times the majority of houses being built are rendered brick with a combination of brick and colorbond. This has been brought about due to strict bushfire zoning restrictions imposed on most land estates. There are circumstances where houses have a brick façade and the sides and back of the house are clad in colorbond. This adds an interesting feature and provides the opportunity for a variety in colour as well as meeting the bushfire restrictions.

A full brick veneer is still the most expensive way to build, however a combination of brick and colorbond provides an architectural difference to the home as well as being cost effective.

Have you been asking yourself the question... "Where do I start in selecting the right location for my investment property?"

You may already have a few suburbs in mind, so how do you pick the right one? Here are 5 tips that are sure to help.

1 - What are the current rents in the area? Check online through domain.com.au or realestate.com.au and see what a typical 3 or 4 bedroom home rents for. When you factor in the cost to buy or build will you receive a good rental return on your investment. Also keep an eye on the supply, if there are pages of rentals available in one particular area it may be a case that there is too much supply for the demand.

2 - Infrastructure. What is available in the area - schools, shopping centres, transport, entertainment - either established or soon to be developed. All of these features attract tenants.

3 - Link Roads, Expressways. Are the suburbs you are looking at close to major roads that potential tenants could use to drive to work. In the Hunter and Newcastle area, popular roads such as the Link Road and soon to be completed Hunter Expressway, are great roads to access for employment. 

4 - Take a closer look at the suburb, what are the houses like? Are they well maintained? Do you see majority houses or units? If you can, take some time to walk through the local shops and see who is living in the area. Google street view could also assist in viewing the area. Residents who take pride in their homes and community create a positive environment which will attract quality tenants. 

5 - Remember, you do not have to invest in your own suburb. Great investments are available state and countrywide. 

Do you have other selection criteria when you are deciding on an investment location?

News this month regarding the approved expansion of Newcastle Airport will be positive news to investors and home owners in the area.

Port Stephens council has provided approval for an $80 million upgrade and expansion to Newcastle Airport.

According to Newcastle Airport...When completed, Newcastle Airport will have capacity to increase domestic passenger flow from the current 1.2 million to a potential five million annually, as well as provide infrastructure to allow for international flights. 

The redevelopment will provide the infrastructure needed for Newcastle Airport to be a global transport hub and significant alternate gateway into New South Wales.

For investors this will provide many great opportunities for growth. There will be workers coming in from outside the area for the term of their involvement and they will want to be close to their employment, so they will be looking for accommodation in the Port Stephens area. This will mean that demand for rentals will rise and the rents themselves will go up. Driving an increase in the investment return.

You also have one of the most picturesque areas in Australia around the Bay area so many of the permanent employees will be looking for nice homes in good locations to take advantage of the growth potential in the vicinity.

With this growth and demand you could see a boom in land and house prices within a
5 kilometre radius of the airport.

This is another area within the Newcastle and Hunter region that is showing great potential for employment, tourism and investment growth over the coming years.