Living
in the ’burbs
Ask yourself, “what is it about this property that I value most?”
The size of your house and its location in relation to public transport and schools probably won’t change much, so sit back and enjoy.
Aspects of your property that could change over time:
- your privacy
- your green outlook
- your million-dollar ocean view
- your peace and quiet.
It can be tough to live with changes that you can’t stop and which destroy the reason you bought the property in the first place.
I used to have a lovely view over the neighbouring property, which was covered in bush. Then they built a new two-storey house in addition to the existing house. I have lost both the outlook and privacy as their lounge overlooks my bedroom.
So…
Find out what the land is zoned for and what types of development council plans allow
Permission to build a row of townhouses may already have been given even if there are no visible signs of construction yet.
Usually someone has two years or more after they get permission before they have to make substantial progress on their development.
Look out for large, undeveloped blocks of land
Often more intensive development will occur on these sites, such as multi-unit housing or retirement homes. Would these types of development bother you?
Identify where development is occurring in the neighbourhood
Some locations will be at the end of a development cycle and residential additions and alterations will be more common than full-scale new development.
If an established area is becoming more popular and demand for properties is high, people are more likely to intensively develop existing sites, such as by subdividing or cross-leasing.
Drive around the neighbourhood at different times of the day and check out the night and weekend environment
Are there activities happening that you would find hard to live with? Many activities at schools, churches, playing fields and halls have been done for some time and are generally allowed.
Noise is a common problem in residential areas
The closer you are to your neighbours, the more likely it is that noise will affect you.
You can expect more noise from non-residential activities (for example, from schools and parks) that may be located close to your property – but there are limits.
Ask your council what the noise limits are and how they enforce them. Non-residential activities may have restrictions on the hours of operation and on the level of noise they can produce.
