Monday 26 March 2012

25.03.12 Tele conference - Part B

Yesterday was part B of our tele conference (rather than another road trip to Nowra) with the building designer. It went really well. I few small items to amend and pricing to adjust.
But overall very happy.

Now just have to wait for the final copy of the quote to come back and we sign off and accept, pay that small deposit and lock it in!

About 3 to 4 weeks from now we will start choosing fixtures, fittings, colours etc... how exciting!!

Saturday 24 March 2012

24.03.12 Tele conference - Part A

Today we had a great tele conference with our McDonald Jones - Building Designer, to tweak the final details of the floor plan... and it went really well.
We are quite happy with everything so far.

Tele conference Part B tomorrow morning... then accept final floor plan within the week and pay the building deposit!

Went for a walk on the block this afternoon and stepped out the house from street to front of where the house should be, from the fence to side of house... nice.

The house will be about 30m wide, 6m from left fence and 10m from right fence and about 10m back from the gutter at street front. Plenty of room for the circular driveway  I have always wanted.

Very exciting...

Sunday 11 March 2012

11.03.12 Meeting with MJH

Met with Rob from McDonald Jones today in Nowra to finalise a few details before getting an official quote and price.

Very happy and excited, about the design and very happy with the estimated price, so far.

Ten days until we have the real quote and price... then time to make a $$ deposit!

Next, allow 8 ~ 10 weeks of planning and choosing colours and design details with the builder.
Followed by 10 weeks waiting for the Palerang Council to approve the building plans.
Then 26 weeks (+ 3 weeks Xmas break) to move dirt and build.

It's looking like March 2013 at the earliest before we have keys...

Sunday 4 March 2012

04.03.12 Lots of rain

Supposed to meet the builders in South Nowra this weekend - but given it has been pouring rain for days on end and it is starting to flood in various areas, we have decided to stay home and not risk anything.

Off to South Nowra next weekend to see the builders and look at a concept plan for our house and discuss final pricing...

Hopefully not a sign of things to come... rain!

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27.02.12 Exchange in 30 days

Finally - deposit received and contracts exchanged today!!


















SOLD!!

Settlement will take place on or before 28th March 2012.

23.02.12 Choosing a builder and a floorplan

We have been looking at display homes around the ACT region and up in the Hunter Valley and Goulburn for several weeks.

We love Rawson Homes, Masterton and McDonald Jones.

But in the end one was out of our price range, another was becoming less of a favourite the more display homes we saw... one stood out for us.

Played with a few floorplans, made a few changes here and there and started talking with our preferred builder - McDonald Jones.

24.02.12 Deposit sent to wrong bank account

Oh great... the Real Estate agent gave us incorrect bank details.
Or should I say the receptionist who rang on the agent's behalf.

So we have been waiting for the funds to appear in the trust account so the exchange could take place, but the money disappeared into a black hole in cyber space for 4 days.

When I asked the RE agent if she checked the receipt she replied - "oh no we don't check receipts, we don't have time for that".

So we immediately organise another deposit only to find out from our bank the transaction that bounced, came back but was against our investment home loan, not into our savings account... thank you very much!!

22.02.12 We have vendor contract

Yey... the vendor contract has arrived.
All signed and final...
Now to pay the deposit and set the time and date for exchange - that will be tomorrow!

21.02.12 Still waiting

waiting... waiting... waiting... still no contract agreement from the vendor

17.02.12 Waiting... waiting

Waiting for the vendor to produce a land sale contract...

07.02.12 Fences and slashing

Vendors are dragging the chain a bit.

We instructed our conveyancer to include a special clause to say, if the vendor does not agree to clearing the land we will take care of it and if we find the land then causes us to incur additional building costs exceeding $10k then they will be liable.

Needless to say the vendor suddenly decided he was now willing to have the land cleared.
We organised it to be done today, he paid for it.

The land is fine, in fact great, no issues at all.

28.01.12 Fences and slashing

Vendor is not willing to prove they have paid for the fences, but have said they are paid for. Now if this was the year 1812, maybe his 'word' would be enough, but today it would be stupidity on our part if we do not get something in writing.

Oh and as for the slashing/mowing - they are refusing.
So this has unsettled us a little, as we cannot see the land, it is in a suburban area, so what are they hiding?

27.01.12 Contract review

Met with our conveyancer, who we think is a miracle worker. Very impressed.

We are happy with the contract, except we need the vendor to prove payment of fences and have the block slashed/mowed... not an unreasonable request!
The grass is up to my shoulders.

25.01.12 Bank evaluation

The bank evaluation has come back and it is spot on... the bank has approved our loan!

12.01.12 Property Offer Submitted


We submitted our offer and it was accepted by the vendor for 17 Lithgow Place Bungendore.