Most kiwis when they purchase their first new house will be purchasing a house and land package, as a turn key house and land package. Which as the names suggest, all you need to do is turn the key and live in your new house once it is complete. A broker will determine your best method taking into account your financial credentials.
(Lot 28 Kauri Grove, Huapai)
But even though a typical house and land package, includes a fully completed house, with landscaped gardens. You always want to check that landscaping is included in your house and land package (We do include it here at Ikon Homes). Most new subdivisions require a landscape plan.
When it comes to house and land packages there are two main types you’ll see here in New Zealand.
- The first one will be, talking to a housing company and selecting a plot of land that they have available or coming available in the near future. You’ll then select a plan from the many they have available which can also be customised. This option gives you a lot more control of the build as you’ll be able to make changes to the design that best suits your needs , along with the colours of the interior and exterior of the house. Just need to keep in mind though that any changes to the specification etc can potentially increase the cost of the build.
- The second will be an already completed house on a plot of land. A house that the building company has already completed or just about to complete. The big benefit of this type of house and land package is that the house will be available for you to move in right away.
The house and land package you choose is completely up to you and whether you have the time to wait for your house to be built (typically 6 months), and also if you want to make changes based on the plans. These will be the big deciding factors when it comes to choosing which option to choose.
One of the big benefits of choosing a house and land package versus building yourself has to do with your bank and getting finance for your house. Banks LOVE house and land packages as they know that the price that is quoted is the price that will be paid on completion of the house, which can enable you to borrow more compared to building yourself. The reason for this is when you build yourself there are normally overspends in certain areas and the price that is quoted at the start of the build is not the same at the end, and banks don’t like this form of uncertainty. At IKON Homes we do these changes by way of a variation to contract and get that paid up front so there are no surprises at the completion of the build.
How do I choose the right company to go with for my house and land package?
The initial thing that will catch your eye will be price, this will draw you towards certain companies you would like to use for your house and land package, but don’t let this be your only deciding factor.
You should also look at the company itself, as this company will be providing you with your biggest asset. You will want to know – How many years have they been in business? Do they have a good reputation in the market? Have they completed other house and land packages before? These questions will help you find out if the company you want to use is a strong and reliable company that has a proven track record of providing results, and deliver on their promises.
If you are not buying an already completed house and land package, you’ll want to visit the company’s show home, to get an idea of the level of quality that is put into their builds. This will also give you an idea of fit-out (appliances, tap wear, etc), especially in the kitchen and the bathrooms. The companies showhome will have many features and add ons that are not included in a standard house and land package, so make sure you are vocal about what you want in your new house, so this can be factored into your plans and made sure that all the appropriate paperwork is in place before construction is started.
Now you are ready to start your hunt for the best house and land package for you and your family. To start your search you can view some of our house and land packages right here – https://ikonhomes.nz/house-and-land/. It will give you an idea of house and land packages in the Auckland area. If you are looking to build you can get in touch with the team on 0800 45 66 50 or [email protected].
P.s. If you’d like to learn more about the design and build process we have this fully available here on our website which can take you from the design and build process all the way through to completion – https://ikonhomes.nz/our-process/design-and-build/