Choosing a section for your dream home

Your section will largely determine the orientation and cost of the house you can build on it.

There are a wide range of sections available in Southland, whether rural, lifestyle or urban, there are however some considerations worth mulling over before you make the final decision to purchase.

● consider location, proximity to schools and other amenities, value, sun (all day?), wind, privacy and access (inconvenient equals costly).

● Check drainage; does it pond after rain? Are water, sewage, power, phone and gas services already available on site.

● If the price seems too good to be true compared with others in the area, investigate further.

● Visit the neighbourhood during the day, at night and on weekends to assess traffic and potential nuisances such as noisy neighbours and barking dogs.

● Check the ownership and zoning of any nearby vacant land to see what can and can’t be built on it.

● Check the certificate of title to doesn’t extend to erosion or structural connectors. requirements, height or see the shape and size of the subsidence, so extra private Before signing: boundary restrictions and what section, whether it’s leasehold insurance cover may be ● Your architect or designer has the neighbours are permitted or freehold, rights of way and needed. checked to ensure the site is to do. other interests registered ● Check its wind zoning with compatible with your desired ● You have applied for, and read, against the title, and any council; houses on sections house concept. the Land Information endorsements that warn of exposed to high winds must be ● Your lawyer has searched the Memorandum (LIM report) risks of erosion, flooding, designed with extra bracing, title for convenants, easements from council. slippage or subsidence. etc, which is more expensive. and consent notices that ● You have commissioned an Earthquake Commission cover ● Near the sea? Corrosionresistant restrict use of the section. engineer’s report if required by for natural disaster under your features are required ● You have checked the district your architect or designer. private insurance policy in roofing, joinery and plan for resource consent ● You have checked survey

information.

● You have commissioned an ndependent valuation to confirm the section price is fair. ● Your lawyer has checked the sale and purchase agreement. Information: ConsumerBuild, a partnership between the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment’s Building and Housing Group and Consumer NZ, www.consumerbuild.org.nz