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Trust the Simonds Experts
We’ve called on three of our New Home Specialists for their first home buying tips, favourite floor plans and the upgrades you’ll always see them recommending.
We've Been Match-Making for Over 70 Years
With over 70 years of experience in designing and building homes, our expert teams are no stranger to playing match-maker to thousands of Australians from all generations.
We understand that on your first encounter, whether it’s by email, phone or stepping into one of our stunning display homes, you want to be able to trust that our New Home Specialists have the expertise to partner you with your perfect floor plan.
Like all good match-makers, our New Home Specialists will listen to your needs and provide you with a range of compatible options. They’ll take the time to really understand your vision for the future and put a step-by-step plan in place for how we’ll deliver it.
With so many options on the market, it can be difficult to know where to begin and what questions to ask. But regardless of what stage of life - or the home ownership journey - you find yourself in, our Simonds experts are ready to help you start your next chapter.
We’ve called on three of our New Home Specialists for their advice for first home buyers, upgraders and those looking to knock-down and rebuild. Keep reading, as they’re revealing their top tips, favourite floor plans and the upgrades you’ll always see them recommending.
Start your first home journey with our METRO Range
For VIC New Home Specialist, Nilu Srikantegowda, every home is different and throughout her time at Simonds, she’s loved helping customers get their foot in the door of the property market.
If you’re just starting out on your journey and are looking for some guidance, you can visit Nilu at our Newhaven DV2 Estate, Tarneit display centre. But in the meantime, let’s see her go-to tips for those looking to get into a place of their own…
What’s the first question first home owners ask when they come into your display? Most of the time, the first question visitors ask is about warranties and construction time frames. With our longstanding 73-year history and Lifetime Structural Guarantee, we’re able to build confidence with the families who start their new home journey with us. We have a fast-paced and highly skilled Construction Team, meaning we’re able to deliver personalised customer service, with the efficient timelines that come with being one of the country’s leading home builders.
Your biggest piece of advice for first home owners? My biggest piece of advice would be getting in touch with one of our in-house brokers to first establish a budget and then start planning your journey from there. For many customers, the build is their first home not their forever home, so a lot of the time it comes down to what their needs are. It’s important to not get caught up in all the bells and whistles, and instead focus on sticking to budget. This is also what we’re here for, as we’ll guide customers through what their specific needs are.
What’s a common trap first time builders can fall into? Pricing is a common trap for first time builders. While it can be tempting to go for the cheapest possible price on the market, the reality is that price and quality go hand in hand. When it comes to pricing, another thing to keep in mind is that not all builders will fix your price, especially when it comes to site costs and land technicalities. These vary depending on the block of land, and it’s why I’ll personally check lots to give customers an idea of site costs before they sign the land contract.
Your go-to home design from our METRO range? I can’t go past the Liberty 27. The 14m plan comes with 3 well proportioned living areas, as well as an alfresco. It ticks all of the right boxes for first home owners and growing families, and customers fall in love with the layout straight away.
What’s one upgrade that customers never regret? Increasing your ceiling height is always a winner. It instantly makes your home feel more spacious and luxurious, even making more compact spaces feel bigger. It’s something that you can’t go back and upgrade retrospectively and you also have the advantage of being able to accommodate beautiful feature lighting, like grand statement pendants or a chandelier.
Upgrade to your forever home with our Simonds Range
With nearly a decade of experience at Simonds, VIC New Home Specialist Chandra Deep knows the home building journey inside and out.
If you've outgrown your current place, visit Chandra at the Merrifield Estate, Mickleham display centre to chat about your options for upgrading your home to better suit your needs and lifestyle.
Your biggest piece of advice for anyone looking to upgrade and build new? If you’re upgrading, you’ve most likely lived in a handful of rentals, so over the years, you’ve developed a good sense of what you want (and what you don't want) in your forever home. Start to prioritise any upgrades by your must-haves, good to haves or would like to haves, and your New Home Specialist will work with these and any budget constraints that you might have.
What’s a common trap first time builders can fall into? The old saying of “wanting champagne on a beer budget” can be a common challenge that first time builders face. To gain a clear understanding of where you stand from the very start, we always suggest that you establish your borrowing capacity and then meet with one of our New Home Specialists to walk through floor plans, facades and upgrades that are compatible with your budget and needs. This allows us to understand your vision and deliver the best solution possible.
Your go-to home design from our Simonds Range? Of course, this will always depend on the specific lot dimensions that we’re working with. But for single-storey designs on a 12.5m frontage, I love to recommend the 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom Barnard 22. Its 2 living areas and spacious walk-in pantry provide greater flexibility and the home has a few cleverly designed structural options that give first home owners, families and investors bigger bang for their buck.
What’s one upgrade that customers never regret? Don’t underestimate the power of street appeal! Upgrading your facade design, your ceilings to 2740mm, your windows to 2100mm long and your doors to 2340mm high all helps to create a welcoming entrance to your home.
Love your neighbourhood? Set roots down with a knock-down rebuild
The prospect of demolishing your current home and rebuilding can seem like a daunting process, but New Home Specialist, Dani Adrien, is well-versed in every detail about the knock-down rebuild (KDR) process.
If you have any questions about a KDR, reach out to us using the below form or in the meantime, check out Dani's top advice...
Your biggest piece of advice for anyone looking to KDR? Be clear on your strategy, timing and budget. KDR can be a straightforward process when you form a proposal alongside your Simonds New Home Specialist with all areas in mind. From the very start, we’ll provide an overview of mandatory items like site related matters, a front power pit and average demolition cost. We already know the common costs that come with a KDR, but committing to a soil survey and PSI report early on allow us to ensure that we have all variables covered and accounted for. Our role is to capture and collate all of the information that you need, not just for the building steps, but the entire process, in order to make it as simple as possible for you.
Your go-to home design? This will always vary depending on the site specifics of a customer’s land. A few favourites are the double-storey Woodhaven 32 or Empire 42 from our METRO Range, or the Carnarvon 28 from our Simonds Range. Being a shorter design, the Carnarvon 28 comes in handy if a customer has a sloping block at the rear and the option to add a guest bedroom on the ground floor is an extremely popular and cost-effective way to accommodate extra family members.
What’s one upgrade that customers never regret? You’ll never regret elevating your kitchen, living and outdoor entertaining spaces, with either a butler’s pantry, alfresco or various study options. We’ve definitely seen a rise in studies and home offices over recent years, and we’ll always work with the customer to ensure that their location within your living zones is just right.
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Simonds acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.