Tips for building a house in 2025 [Australia]
Last week I sat down with the lovely Kim Ball from Buy East Buyers Agency in Sydney. We spoke about all things buying new and building; it was a very insightful chat, and I wanted to share with you some of our tips for building a new house in Australia.
First, let's talk about Kim. With 12 years' experience in the buyer's agent industry, Kim brings a much-needed analytical approach to purchasing a home. While also being a sweetheart, she shared great insights with me about the home buying game and what clients can be doing to get the most out of a sale.
Let's see what Kim’s tips are below:
What’s one piece of advice you would give someone looking to buy a new home?
Make sure you are in a position to buy before you start looking. Not being organised will hurt you during the buying crunch time.
Before you seriously start looking, make sure you:
Have finance – obtain approval in principle (and re-apply every three months).
Make arrangements and think of timing – if you need to sell your property before purchasing, or if you currently lease a property look at when your lease expires
Assemble a team around you and educate yourself on the purchasing process – get a good conveyancer, legal team, and buyer’s agent so that when you find the perfect property you are in a position to move quickly.
If you wait too long before organising these things, you'll end up being beaten by other buyers that are more prepared.
The more you know early on, the better!
Why having your Master Builders / HIA building contract reviewed is a necessity, not a luxury for new builds
A home is probably the most expensive thing you'll buy in your lifetime!
Building a new home is a huge undertaking, and honestly, you don’t know what you don’t know. If you make a mistake, it might end up being a huge burden on your family. As a building contract specialist, I protect clients from all the things that can go wrong in the home building journey.
Construction is full of moving parts, and without the right experience, things can easily get messy. That’s where a home building contract specialist comes in—they’ve seen it all and can catch issues before they become big (and expensive) headaches. Plus, they’re there to look out for you, making sure everything stays on track. It’s not an added luxury—it’s the key to making your build as smooth and stress-free as possible.
What do you find the most challenging during the home build process?
It often comes down to understanding why things are happening the way they are. In residential construction, there can be a lot of smoke and mirrors, making it hard to get clear answers. But the key to a successful build is being prepared to ask the right questions and tackle issues head-on. When you’re informed and proactive, you can avoid a lot of unnecessary stress and keep things moving smoothly.
Any tips on how clients can stick to their construction budget?
You need to be realistic always, as you’ll never find the perfect build if it doesn’t exist!
The best way to start a home building project is to have a professional review your contract before you sign. That way, you have peace of mind that everything is clear, and there are no hidden costs or surprises that could blow your budget.
Taking these steps will go a long way in helping you stick to your budget and expectations!
I hope these tips have helped you on you new home building journey!
Thanks for reading, and catch you in the next post 😊
Happy building,
Annelyse
Protect your dream build with a Building Contract Health Check:
Avoid budget blowouts before they happen
Lock in a quality control processes
Save your future self a huge amount of stress
Save thousands by spotting the hidden risks first.
Written by Annelyse, Building Contract Specialist, and founder of Build Together Project Management.
