Sick of being able to touch the neighbour’s fence from the kitchen window and wanting space of your own? Maybe you dream of having chickens and a big veggie garden or space for the kids to have a pony or motorbike? Buying acreage can be more involved and have more things to consider than your regular suburban home, here are some things to consider before buying acreage.
How big is an acre?
An acre is 4,047 square metres. When comparing this to the average suburban block of land, (Victorian average land size is now 500m2) you are looking at something a minimum of 8 times the Victorian average suburban block size.
There are several things to consider when purchasing acreage, some you might know but others if you have only lived in town or the suburbs, could easily be overlooked.
Water Supply - Is the property on town water or tank water? Fortunately, in West Gippsland and the Bass Coast we have decent yearly rainfall, though there still may be times that if you are on tank water you will need to order a water delivery through a private water cartage contractor. Water tanks also require a pump to take the water from the tank to the home. No electricity, no pump, no water to the home…yes this includes a flushing toilet! Speaking of toilets, this takes us to the topic of septic. Most acreage, especially on the outskirts of a main town will be on a septic system, not on mains. This means somewhere on your prospective property will be a septic system. You will want to know where this is, what system it is as well as when it was last emptied. Many septic systems also have pumps that assist in the filtering of water. The type and location of a septic system can also determine what you can and can’t do on a property, so this is certainly an item you want to consider.
Is the property on mains gas or gas tanks? What in the house runs on gas? If on a gas tank you will normally pay a yearly rental fee as well as per delivery for the gas bottle.
Phone – Telephone and Internet reception can be unreliable in some regional areas; this is something to check when viewing a property.
Zoning – There are many types of property zones, this may restrict what you can do on the property e.g., clearing trees, how close you can build to the boundaries, it will also affect your BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) rating and if building this determines certain restrictions on the property. This is something your agent will know, or you will find in the Section 32.
Positives of living on land is space! But remember to consider, what the maintenance of that space is going to look like, how long it will take and what it will cost. Will you need to upgrade to a ride on mower or even a tractor? How much work and time is involved in the maintenance of the established garden, or are landscaping works required?
Fencing, are there established fences in good condition, or does it need replacing? If you have pets is the fencing suitable to contain them, acreage is quite a large area to need to fence. Speaking of expenses, the rates on a larger property are higher than a suburban block and differ greatly from council to council.
Distance is another thing to consider as acreage is commonly located on the outskirts of town or possibly a distance from a major town so access to amenities like supermarkets, doctors, hospitals need to be considered. Education is another one if you have children, how far away is kinder, primary, and high school? Is there a bus or will you need to do the school drop off and pick up daily, also where would sporting or afterschool activities be located.
We hope this article is helpful in your search for your dream property on acreage. Don’t forget to ask your One Agency Country to Coast Real Estate Agent or Conveyancer if you have any questions before putting in an offer and moving to a larger property.
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