Join our House and Land Consultant, Caitlyn, for an Instagram Q&A session this Wednesday 28 April at 6pm. Caitlyn will answer all your burning questions about how and where to find vacant land, our most affordable designs, considerations for a knockdown rebuild, and whatever else has been stumping you with the current housing market.

To get us started, Caitlyn has compiled answers to some of the questions she has received in the last few months.

Q: Is there any land available? If so, where?

Yes, there is! I work closely with real estate agents & developers all over South East Queensland, and have managed to secure blocks for my clients in Gympie, the Sunshine Coast and down to Brisbane. Often when blocks ‘fall over’ i.e. a customer pulls out of their initial hold on a block and developers will reach out to me to give Ausmar a chance to offer it to our qualified buyers.

Q: My block is only 10m x 25m – what are my options?

Lots of options with us! I am currently building my own Brooklyn on my 10mx25m block in Harmony. Best thing about this range of homes is it’s eligible for our Homein8. An 8-week build time sounds too good to be true, but it really is impressive watching it go up. You get into your home much quicker than standard build times which means less time paying for rent and holding costs on the land while you’re building. It’s an all-around win-win!

Q: What’s Ausmar’s cheapest design?

Any of our 3 bed, 1 garage, 2 living are our most cost-effective options. We can finish these homes from the $170,000 mark with all the bells & whistles our clients are looking for.

Q: I already have a block with an old house. Can I do a knockdown rebuild?

Absolutely! I think the knockdown rebuild space on the Sunshine Coast is the biggest opportunity for growth and great returns considering the lack of available land in new land estates.

My recommendation if you are considering doing a knockdown is to get in touch with us at the very start of the process. We will be able to look at your current block and site your new floorplan and can discuss the next steps in the process.

I find the biggest misconception about the knock down rebuild space is that you must go down the custom path, which you aren’t required to.  You can choose any of our floorplans from our first series & designer range for your knockdown new build and I can assess to make sure it works on your block & within your budget.

Q: Can I make changes to my plan?

Short answer. Yes you can.

Long answer. Within reason. We have allowable ‘standard changes’ that helps keep the authenticity of our designs, such as moving a window or rearranging a bathroom within the same footprint. We understand that every client is different, and we want to build a home that will suit your needs.

Q: What do I need in case a block becomes available?

Finance Pre Approval

A holding deposit (usually around $1,000)

Be ready to complete the ‘expression of interest’ forms

Q: What is your favourite part of the process when helping a client/s build?

The design process. So many customers come to me deflated going through display villages being told how ‘expensive’ all the upgrades are and that they can’t achieve the house of their dreams. I love finding ways to make it a reality for them without breaking the bank! Our awesome standard inclusions really help with that!).

Q: Can you match another builders price?

Yes absolutely! I compare quotes for my customers all the time. There are big differences in builders inclusions and I can take you through them.

Q: I am a first home buyer & struggling to compare builders.  What should I look for?

Standard inclusions VS base price.

Some builders might have a cheap base price but will give you no inclusions (i.e site works, no LED’s, no insulation, flyscreens or overhead cupboards). These things can all add up pretty quickly. Our base price is stacked with inclusions that you don’t have to pay for down the line.

Contact Caitlyn, our House & Land Consultant to discuss a house and land option that is tailored specifically to you and your lifestyle.

Tell us a little bit about yourselves

Frank and I are middle-aged with two adult children; Olivia, 22 years and Sam, 19 years. All of us are in full time employment. We built and lived in Bracken Ridge for 27 years and felt that our house design was no longer suitable.

Why did you decide to build your first home rather than buy an existing dwelling?

We wished to stay close to the Bracken Ridge area and our current facilities so we started searching for an established house around Shorncliffe, Sandgate or Brighton. Talk about unaffordable! Tiny houses or total reno houses at top prices or hugely expensive properties that didn’t have the design requirements we were looking for. We started to think it was impossible.  Real estate was selling like hot cakes too.

We started looking for blocks of land instead so we could build what we would truly be happy with. Almost giving up, we nabbed a subdivided small block of 400m2 in Brighton, just 600m to the waterfront.

What were the initial steps you took to find the right builder for your family?

Once we bought our land, the search was on to find a house to fit the 10m wide by 40m long block. Google is a wonderful thing. That was the beginning of our winning relationship with AUSMAR.

We decided to build because we had a particular floor plan in mind as our children and ourselves required more privacy. No pre-existing homes had the layout we liked. We weren’t up for a renovator with our busy work schedules.

A lot of research was involved in finding a block of land that was suitable and walking distance to the waterfront. We’ve got three dogs to keep happy too.

What were some key factors in deciding to build with AUSMAR?

Researching builder’s floor plans I came across the AUSMAR Ashbury design and found that this would be perfect for what we wanted on our small block. AUSMAR has excellent customer reviews, family history and community project involvement so I touched base with Tyrone, the consultant at Newport Display Village, as a first step. We had a great first impression so we set an appointment time to meet. Tyrone was upfront, honest, extremely helpful and professional – I trust my gut.

What AUSMAR house design did you choose and why?

Through discussion with Tyrone we found the floor plan to be perfect and with Tyrone’s assistance he personalised it to our needs by adding storage spaces and adjusting room sizes.  The Ashbury design fitted on a small lot but still looked big and impressive and the Beach facade we chose fit in with not only the bayside location but our individual style. The upstairs living suited our adult children much like a private small apartment and our main bedroom on the lower level at the back of the house was good for us as we get older and prefer not to climb stairs. We also liked the side door access, it adds privacy and also allowed space for a media room as a part of the downstairs living. We dislike house designs that have wasted space. The Ashbury has no wasted space in the design but allowed for an opportunity to increase storage space which was possible as part of our plan.

Overall, how was your initial sales experience with AUSMAR?

Consultants sometimes can be overbearing and overwhelming however we were fortunate to find that Tyrone was nothing but truly patient assisting us with different ideas to fully inform us as to what we would expect building with AUSMAR and was very mindful of our budget. After several meetings with Tyrone, a plan was formed that we were all happy with and the next stage of contract signing was in place.

Tell us about your experience at AUSMAR’s interior design studio, Atelier:

Prior to booking in to see Sandi our colour consultant we found the on-line virtual showroom that we browsed through prior to our visit was helpful. We also prepared an inspiration board that we emailed to Sandi ready for our appointment. Meeting Sandi it was obvious that her knowledge and flare for design and colour was apparent. Sandi had prepared ready for our meeting suggestions and helped keep us on track and budget. This process was fun and easy and we felt like we made good colour decisions that would stay in style for a long time.

Were the available Atelier inclusions suitable for your family?

We noticed AUSMAR’s standard range was excellent in quality and style and we ended up with quality fittings and accessories. Sandi was able to source additional selections that we wanted with ease, arranged information on alternate fixtures and fittings and was able to pre-empt issues to adjust. She was very thorough, professional and worth her weight in gold.

How was the communication with AUSMAR once your build started on site?

The communication from AUSMAR leading into and starting the build was always prompt and thorough and access to their Buildertrend app was a great tool to keep us in the loop and up to date on certificates, various documents, colour selection, daily schedules and invoices. Any issues were quickly resolved with our site supervisor Joshua and our Client Liaison Officer Mel. Quite often Joshua rectified anything that he saw of concern before we even questioned it. His rapport with AUSMAR contractors was truly admirable. Happy tradies, better build.

What feature do you love most about AUSMAR’s Ashbury design?

Frank’s and my favourite feature in our new home is the open plan living spaces and storage additions. Our kids’ favourite feature is the large balcony at the front.

Do you have any tips for other new home builders?

Go with your gut feeling. Work with a team you trust. Go with strong reputable builders no matter the budget.

Would you recommend AUSMAR Homes to family and friends?

Family and friends that have visited us in our new home have been impressed with what we have achieved in design for space and comfort.

We are proud to recommend AUSMAR as we are so thrilled with the design, quality and value.

Find out more about AUSMAR’s Ashbury design here.

Read more customer experiences here: Top 10 tips from a first home buyer.

Contact AUSMAR to start your new home building journey: Contact us

First home buyers Alanna and Henry received the keys to their brand new Ausmar home in November 2020. Alanna has been kind enough to share her top 10 tips for other first home buyers to make the experience just as enjoyable as theirs.

Building a home can be such a daunting process, especially when it’s your first home. I was putting off the process at first because I just didn’t know where to start. When the Federal Government announced the HomeBuilder grant we knew it was time to bite the bullet and start seriously looking into building our first home. We learned a few things along the way – here are our top ten tips to help make your experience as enjoyable as possible.

1: Do your research

This is cliche, I know, but it seems like there’s an infinite number of builders, with an infinite number of floor plans. It can be so overwhelming! We started the process by looking online at builders in our preferred area to see their style of homes, what other customers were saying about them and their price points. We found this to be so helpful in narrowing down the initial list of display homes we wanted to look at.

2: Visit display homes

Some of the homes we thought we’d love turned out to be pokey and impractical when we visited the display home in person. Visiting the displays was a really good way to get a feel for the designs we had shortlisted, as well as better understanding the different quality and inclusions provided by each builder. Ausmar’s Lockyer display at Newport was the first home we visited and the last. We just kept coming back to it because we loved the way it felt, so we knew it was the right home for us.

3: Compare established homes to new builds

We looked at buying a few established homes, but when we compared them to the price of building new, we realised we’d be sacrificing the style and age of the house if we bought something that was already established within our budget. Building new, and from Home in 8, meant that we could get exactly what we wanted within a quick timeframe that wasn’t much longer than the settlement period of an established house. Being eligible for the first home buyer and HomeBuilder grants also helped our decision!

4: Use the expertise of New Home Consultants

Our New Home Consultant Tyrone was so helpful. We didn’t realise that on top of knowing all about what Ausmar had to offer, that he’d also be able to help us find the right block of land. He’s worked in the industry and area for a long time, so he made lots of recommendations on the type of home that would work for our lifestyle and budget, and what land was available for sale in the area. Tyrone presented us with various land options and helped us to decide on the right option.

5: Spend time in the area you want to live before you buy

Both Henry and I grew up in the Bayside area, and I also work nearby. So we knew we loved the area and wanted to buy our first home here so we could be close to family, friends and work. We already knew a fair bit about Stockland’s Newport development, but once we seriously started looking at buildings, we went for more neighbourhood walks and visited the local cafes to get a better feel for the area. It helped us to be sure that we wanted to build in Newport.

6: Trust your Atelier Design Experts

We were pretty confident that we knew the style of home we wanted – lots of neutrals, with a slight coastal vibe. This was cemented when we saw one of Ausmar’s display homes at Newport designed by Darren Lockyer. It was the exact look we were after, so it made our colour selection process much easier. We’re told we did it in a record time of 2 hours! Having said that, there were a few things we got caught up on – such as the colour and texture of carpet. We thought we wanted a dark grey, but our colour consultant suggested we go with “Andersens Hazel Grove Everett” which is more of a ‘greige’ to suit our tiles. It took a little bit of convincing, but we’re so glad we listened to her advice because it looks absolutely amazing! Remember, interior designers do this all day everyday, so they know what works.

7: Choose a reputable builder

We’d heard so many horror stories about building a new home, and I’ll admit, we were a little scared of the process initially. We’d done some research on Ausmar before signing our contract and found that they’d won lots of awards and had a really good reputation with past customers so it helped put our minds at ease. I think it made all the difference for a positive experience by picking a professional, well-regarded builder.

8: Speak with your bank early

Finance was really the only hiccup we experienced. Our bank needed lots of documentation from us, and they weren’t prepared for such a quick build. We were really lucky that they turned everything around quickly in the end, and could make all of our progress payments on time, but it did stress us out initially. I’d recommend that you have all of your ID and credit history documents on hand, and speak with your bank early to ensure you can get into your home quickly.

9: Choose a home design that will grow with you

Ausmar’s Bellevue design was the perfect choice for us. It gives us enough space for friends to visit and stay, and will still be suitable if we’re in this house when we decide to start a family. If we move, we know that this design will also suit other home buyers at different life stages.

10: Move your partner to another state for the duration of your build

Look – this one’s a joke. I do not recommend moving your partner to another state when you’re building your first home! Henry works in the army and was deployed straight after our colour selection, not returning home until after handover. We were unable to even speak with each other throughout most of the build, so while I missed him a lot, it was probably helpful that we couldn’t keep going over our selections and wanting to make changes! I’m so glad our supervisor Liam kept me completely in the loop and was happy to answer any of my questions.

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