New Urban Developments - what to look for before making one your new home.
In Brisbane, that has translated into dozens of small-scale projects around the center of town such as the Showground Hill development. In Sydney and Perth, planners have plumped for a mix of smaller communities and large-scale sites, while in Melbourne it seems, big is best.
The push for urban renewal is providing home buyers with a range of interesting new options.
If your search brings up a property in an urban renewal project, here is our handy list to help you find the right home.
Planned for living?
When it comes to a new community, purchasers won’t have finished buildings and streetscapes they can see. Instead they must make their judgements from a slick website, artist impressions and a site map showing the layout of the development.
These can be valuable guides, but you will need to look closely to determine if the new community has appeal and functionality.
Are residences integrated with open spaces, other facilities and any commercial areas?
The height and bulk of buildings and their proximity to each other
What will the property have in its sight line?
Car access
Are adjacent properties producing any unwanted sounds or smells?
Urban renewal projects which deliver a great lifestyle and a sense of privacy are more desirable and tend to have a better market performance over time.
Service central
One great attribute of many urban renewal projects is that they sit well within a metropolitan area and in some cases, like Port Adelaide, they are quite close to the center of town.
But a great location is more than just geography – buyers should investigate whether a new project is in an area that has all the services they will need to enjoy living there.
Services to look for include:
Public transport
Childcare services and schools
Shops – especially a supermarket
Cafes and entertainment
Healthcare – especially GPs.
Appeal
It is hard to lay down rules which define whether a building or development has architectural appeal – beauty as they say is in the eye of the beholder.
But there are some guidelines you can use to judge appeal:
Does the development feel warm and welcoming?
Are the buildings too angular, close together or do they have a ‘cookie-cutter’ feel?
Does the project have appeal from the street and interior walkways?
Does the design create an appealing micro-environment?
Does the community’s design work with or against the surrounding landscape?
There are some exciting new communities popping up across Australia – if you choose wisely to suit your needs there’s little doubt you’ll enjoy a great new lifestyle!
