How to buy vacant land

Buying vacant land to build a house—for either your family home or an investment property—is an incredibly exciting opportunity to create a brand new home tailored to your lifestyle, taste, or needs.

With endless options for design and layout, building on vacant land from scratch can be an immensely satisfying experience, and even more affordable than purchasing an existing home in some areas. However, one of the hardest parts of the process is just getting started—that’s finding the right piece of vacant land, where location, suitability, and budget come together. Eden Brae Homes has put together this guide as a buying vacant land checklist, walking you through each step and offering insights and advice to help ensure you get off to the right start with your new home journey.

Step 1: Research and Planning

As a first home buyer, building your dream home is a big deal, so start with some solid research and planning. This is where you figure out what you want and need from the land, and you get ready for the nuts and bolts of the project.

Identify Your Needs and Preferences

Start by thinking about what you want to achieve with your property. Where do you want it to be—in a quiet country area, a family-friendly suburb, or a busy city? Maybe you’re How big does the land need to be to fit your dream home, outdoor spaces, and maybe even some future add-ons? Once you have a good idea of what you want, then you can start looking at vacant land options that are currently on the market.

Understand Zoning Lays and Land-Use Regulations

When buying vacant land to build a house in New South Wales for example, it's really important for families to know about zoning laws and land-use regulations. These rules decide what kind of homes can be built, how many can fit on the land, and even what features are allowed, like granny flats. There are also environmental rules that affect how close to the street you can build, how tall your home can be, and how to protect the environment. If you don't know these rules, you might have to make changes to your plans, wait longer, or even pay more money. But if you understand the rules, you can make smart choices, avoid problems, and build a home that's perfect for you while meeting all those building rules and regulations.

Research Local Authorities and Seek Pre-Approval

Getting pre-approval for your project early on can save you a lot of stress and worry. Your local council and planning department can give you important info on any specific rules in your area. Getting financial pre-approval also helps you to set a realistic budget for buying land and building your dream home.

Step 2: Finding the Right Vacant Land

After you've done the initial research, it's time to find a block of land that fits what you're looking for. Ultimately, it’s the state of the land you choose that will play a big part in the design, cost, and whether your build is even possible.

Utilise Online Resources

Australia's got heaps of online platforms that'll help you with buying vacant land as an investment for your family. You can filter your search by location, size, and price to narrow down the options, and most sites provide heaps of info, like zoning laws, nearby amenities, and the property's price history. That's a solid starting point for your search! You could even take the pressure off by considering house and land packages.

Work with Real Estate Agents and Property Expert

Having an experienced real estate agent or property consultant on your side can make all the difference when it comes to finding the perfect block of land. These experts know the local market like the back of their hand, so they can steer you clear of any potential pitfalls and point you in the direction of up-and-coming areas that are worth keeping an eye on. Plus, they often have access to off-market listings that you wouldn't find on your own. Just make sure you're working with agents who specialise in land sales and have a solid grasp of local planning regulations.

Conduct Site Inspections

Once you’ve found a few potential properties, pay them a visit. Photos don't always give you the whole picture, and there might be things you can't get from a photo—like how noisy it is, what the ground is like, and how steep the slope is. When you inspect the land, think about whether it is right for your planned build, how easy it is to get to services like water and electricity, how close you'll be to important things like schools and shops, and what we think is most important—could you picture your family calling the area home?

Step 3: Due Diligence and Inspections

Being thorough is super important when buying vacant land to build a house because it helps you avoid big shocks that can cost a lot of money once you start your building project.

Environmental and Geotechnical Site Assessments

Before buying, ensure you get the experts you need to run crucial environmental and geotechnical checks to see if there are any issues that might stop your project from happening. These checks will give you info about things like soil stability, flood risks, and bushfire hazards. Depending on where you are, your local council might even make these checks compulsory.

Review Property Reports and Conduct Your Own Research

Get property reports that give you the lowdown on the land's history, zoning info, and past uses. Going through these reports helps you confirm the legal boundaries, easements, and any potential issues that might arise. Don't forget to scope out the surrounding area too, keeping an eye out for future development plans that could impact your investment, like new infrastructure projects, road expansions, or rezoning initiatives.

Identify Potential Risks and Red Flags

Look beyond the environmental and legal stuff—there are heaps of other things that might impact your building plans. Flood zones, native plants that need to be protected, and noise restrictions—these could all affect how feasible and expensive it is to build on your block. It's a good idea to know about these risks early on, so you can make sure the land is right for building your home.

Step 4: Purchasing and Settlement

You've found the perfect block of land and done your research; now it's time to sign on the dotted line and make it all official!

Understand the Land Purchase Process and Contract of Sale

In Australia, buying vacant land usually involves signing a contract of sale. This contract lays out the details you've agreed on, including the price, any conditions, and important deadlines. It's a good idea to get a conveyancer or property lawyer to check the contract for you, so you know what you've purchased and there’s no unfortunate surprises down the track.

Negotiate Prices and Terms

Negotiating the price and terms of the sale can potentially save you thousands of dollars. Do some more homework by researching comparable land sales in the area to have a good idea of the market rate. Keep in mind that other aspects of the sale, such as settlement period, deposit amount, and inclusions, may also be negotiable. A real estate agent or buyer's agent can help you with these negotiations.

Finalise the Settlement and Transfer Ownership

The last step in buying a property is settlement, where you officially take ownership. This is when your lawyer makes sure all the documents are ready, the money gets paid, and any other things that need doing (like sorting out rates and taxes) get done. Once it's all settled, you're the official owner of the land and can start thinking about what type of home you want to build! For inspiration, be sure to check out some home designs online, or visiting display homes is another great way for getting a feel for how a house design would suit your family.