Sales Process

Yes, we can build your bespoke home. We will work with you to design your dream home ensuring it responds to the unique characteristics of the allotment, streetscape and your lifestyle.
Depending on if you have purchased in a land estate or will be building in an established location, we require a copy of the Title, plan of subdivision and section 32, depending on what you have available.
Vue Properties has extensive experience in knock down new builds. We custom design every KDNB project to ensure the design responds to the unique characteristics of the allotment, streetscape and your lifestyle. We will require a copy of the Title or Section 32 in order to assess your property for re-development.
Unlike most builders Vue Properties includes as much as possible in the base price of your new home. This means no nasty surprises when you get to contracts with extra site costs and upgrades. The prices we list on our website include an extensive list of luxury fixtures and features that ensure you know exactly what you are getting and exactly how much it will cost from the start.
Yes, we can assist you to find land that suits your needs and budget.
Yes, we can build on sloping blocks. As we are a custom home builder, we can ensure your dream home responds to the unique characteristics of the allotment, streetscape and your lifestyle.

Pre-Construction (Pre-site)

Yes, we have close working relationships with demolition companies across Melbourne ensuring quality service and great value. We will coordinate with them to ensure compliance certificates are issued to the building surveyor as part of the building permit application.
Yes, we can take care of your town planning requirements to ensure the process of building a home is as efficient and stress free as possible. We will provide a detailed quote including the steps and consultants involved in the town planning process for your approval prior to commencing.
Many of our clients ask to incorporate feng shui principles in their bespoke design. Our architectural design team can also engage a feng shui consultant on your behalf, or work with your preferred consultant.
Yes, we can provide a septic tank if your land is not sewered. We will provide a quote ensuring the system is compliant with council requirements. We will coordinate the septic tank permit prior to applying for the building permit.
We assign a project manager to your new build from your first contact with Vue Properties. While we work as a team, your contact will remain with you on your journey, ensuring better communication throughout your build. Once construction commences a construction manager will also be assigned to your job, and we be able to answer any on-site related questions for you also.
There are several documents we require prior to commencing on site, e.g. finance approval, town planning, building permits. Once we have all of the required documents, we book our contractors first available time to commence works on site.
Yes, we can assist in co-ordinating your new swimming pool as part of our bespoke design process. Pools are usually built prior to commencing construction on site due to access restrictions. If you plan to build a pool after construction is complete, it is recommended this is noted on the plans so we can avoid services in this location as well as making any required slab modifications.
Hebel is fast to construct and very versatile. It is available in blocks and panels of various sizes and widths, fire resistant, has good acoustic qualities and offers increased flexibility with external colour selections. Hebel facilitates some design elements more easily, such as corner stack windows due to its weight and the associated engineering. Brick is sustainable, energy efficient, low maintenance and also very versatile. In most cases it is a matter of personal preference.
Once you have completed all of your selections and any customisations, your project manager will contact you to coordinate a time to sign your contracts. Please refer to our resources section which has all of our process guides.

Construction (On-site)

Yes, we include a landscape allowance or package depending on your chosen specifications. This is included in our standard inclusions, not an additional extra. We can liaise with your preferred landscaper or provide one for you.
Yes, we are more than happy for you to visit your home during construction. Due to safety reasons you will need to be accompanied by your project manager or construction manager.
Fixed site costs mean they cannot be varied. Vue provides fixed site costs as a part of the quoting process. Due to our market leading inclusions, most of what other builders call site costs are already featured in our standard inclusions.

Knock Down New build

Prior to demolition of a property all service connections such as electricity, gas and telephone must be disconnected. Please allow 4-6 weeks to arrange disconnection of your services. Don’t worry, we can assist in coordinating all of this for you.
A feature survey is a scale drawing of your home site showing the fall of the land, service connection points, easements and any pre-existing features. If town planning is required, you will also need a neighbourhood survey identifying the house adjoining your property and their features.
A re-establishment survey identifies the correct boundaries of your land prior to commencement of construction.
When the power authority runs its main power connection underground it is called a power pit. We will assist you in making application for an underground pit in the event your property currently has overhead power lines.
ResCode refers to standards set for the construction of new dwellings, alterations and extensions to existing dwellings in Victoria only. The standards include street setback, building height, site coverage, parking provision, side and rear setbacks, walls on boundaries, overshadowing and overlooking and private open space.

Development

Yes, we can assist you with the identifying your sites development potential. We can assist in reviewing the title documents, covenants, state and local regulations to help determine what development options you have available e.g. childcare, medical suites, residential units, apartments.
Yes, we can help you find a site for development based on your strategy.
The best place to start is understanding your current financial position and your future goals. We are more than happy to consult with your accountant, financial planner, lender and any other key stakeholders to better understand your financial goals and how we can assist you in achieving them.

Investment

There are many benefits to building an investment property, some of the key advantages are:
  • An investment property offers an income stream via rent to help fund the holding costs of securing the investment.
  • Building an investment property allows you to use leverage to secure a larger asset using a deposit and borrowed funds, increasing your return on investment.
  • When chosen carefully there is a high potential for capital growth as your property grows in value.
  • There are tax concessions that can assist in the ownership costs of an investment property. Including depreciation on your construction costs.
  • Lower maintenance costs due to warranties and being a new construction.
  • New properties tend to attract a higher quality of tenant, who are more likely to look after your property.
  • New properties can offer your tenant a higher quality home than they could otherwise afford to purchase themselves, resulting in longer tenancies and less wear and tear with moving in and out of your property.
  • Reduced stamp duty costs on the property acquisition as you only pay stamp duty on the land component of the purchase.
Negative gearing is a form of financial leverage whereby an investor borrows money to acquire an income-producing investment. A property is negatively geared when the costs of owning it – interest on the loan, bank charges, maintenance, repairs and capital depreciation – exceeds the income it produces. Simply put, your investment must make a loss before you can claim a tax benefit. Depending on the ownership structure of your investment property the loss can be offset against your income, so you could pay less tax. While your property value historically increases over time, you can use the investment to reduce your taxable income.
Capital gains tax (CGT), in the context of the Australian taxation system, is a tax applied to the capital gain made on the disposal of any asset, with a number of specific exemptions, the most significant one being the family home. When you sell your investment property, if the value has increased you will be subject to capital gains tax on the difference in value. CGT operates by treating net capital gains as taxable income in the tax year in which an asset is sold or otherwise disposed of. If an asset is held for at least 1 year then any gain is first discounted by 50% for individual taxpayers.
Leverage is the use of borrowed capital to increase the potential return of an investment – and it is an extremely common term when talking about the real estate market. Consider the common real estate purchase requirement of a 20% deposit – or $100,000 on a $500,000 asset. When a buyer puts only 20% of the money down, and borrows the rest, is essentially using a relatively small percentage of his or her own funds to make the purchase; the majority is being provided by a lender. That's why real estate investors often refer to the 80% remainder of the purchase price as "other people's money": It is, in fact, being provided by someone else. Assuming the property appreciates at 5% per year, the borrower's net worth from this purchase would grow to $525,000 in just 12 months. Comparing this gain to the gain from a purchase made outright, without any loan, highlights that value of the leveraging strategy. For example, the same borrower could have used the $100,000 to make a paid-in-full purchase of a $100,000 property. Assuming the same 5% rate of appreciation, the buyer's net worth from the purchase would have increased $5,000 over the course of 12 months, versus $25,000 for the more expensive property. The $20,000 difference demonstrates the potential net worth increase provided through the employment of leverage. Now, picture that 5% gain every year for 20 years. Over time, the use of leverage can have a significant, positive impact on your net worth.
The term LVR is an acronym for Loan to Value Ratio and is also sometimes referred to as 'LTV'. The LVR is the amount you are borrowing, represented as a percentage of the value of the property being used as security for the loan. Lenders place a large emphasis on the LVR when assessing your loan application.
This is a surprisingly complex question as it depends on your strategy and goals. If you were looking for a property with high capital growth potential, you would likely be looking in a different location to one that was positively geared. Contact us to ascertain your goals and in consultation with your chosen financial professionals we can develop a strategy for you and help identify the best location for your property investment.
A trust is a fiduciary relationship in which one party, known as a trustor, gives another party, the trustee, the right to hold title to property or assets for the benefit of a third party, the beneficiary. Trusts are established to provide legal protection for the trustor’s assets, to make sure those assets are distributed according to the wishes of the trustor, and to save time, reduce paperwork and, in some cases, avoid or reduce inheritance or estate taxes.
Compound interest (or compounding interest) is interest calculated on the initial principal and which also includes all of the accumulated interest of previous periods of a deposit or loan. Compound interest can be thought of as “interest on interest,” and will make a sum grow at a faster rate than simple interest, which is calculated only on the principal amount. Because the interest-on-interest effect can generate increasingly positive returns based on the initial principal amount, it has sometimes been referred to as the "miracle of compound interest." Visit this website for more information on compound interest.
Positive gearing occurs when you receive more in rental income from your tenants than what you pay on the likes of loan repayments, interest, property maintenance, management fees, rates etc. ... A positively geared investment can also be referred to as a 'cash flow property'. Any positive cashflow will likely be taxable.
Each person’s circumstances and strategy will be unique, so the answer to this question is equally unique. In some cases, you don’t need any cash to invest in property. You can utilise the equity in your current home or other investments to cover the deposit, bank fees, legal costs and stamp duty required for your new investment property. Assuming you wanted to buy a $500,000 house and land investment property you would need $100,000 plus associated costs (stamp duty, legal costs) in cash or equity or a combination of both. Using this as leverage to borrow the other $400,000 from a lender.
Cash is not always necessary when you have ‘usable’ equity in your own home or another property within your portfolio. That property is then used as security against a ‘deposit and costs’ investment loan to acquire a new property.
There are several costs associated with purchasing a new investment property they include but are not limited to:
  • Loan Establishment fees
  • Valuation fees
  • Solicitor/ conveyancer fees
  • Stamp duty
  • Interest costs during construction
It is important to consider any potential risks when building an investment property. There are key insurance products that can reduce the associated risks with property ownership, including:
  • Income Protection (IP)
  • Trauma & Recovery
  • Total & Permanent Disability (TPD)
  • Life Insurance
  • Land lords Insurance
Most people will already have some of these insurances either directly or via their superannuation.  In consultation with your chosen financial professionals we can develop a strategy to ensure you are appropriately protected in the event your ability to service your loan is impacted.
Stamp duty is a tax levied by all Australian territories and states on property purchases. The stamp duty a buyer pays is based on the property purchase price, location and loan purpose. Some states charge different rates on investment properties than on places of residence. Visit this website for a great stamp duty calculator.
Yes, Vue Properties includes a depreciation schedule with all investment properties. If you purchase an investment property for income-producing purposes, you could be eligible to claim depreciation costs on that property.  A depreciation schedule ensures you maximise the allowable claims.   Depreciation considers the impact wear and tear can have on the value of your investment property. Claimed against your taxable income, it can amount to beneficial tax savings. Watch this video to learn more.
A turnkey property is a fully completed home that an investor can purchase and upon completion immediately rent out. Many builders claim to be turnkey, but there are still many items left for you to complete before the property is actually ready for a tenant.  Having specialised in investment properties for over 20 years we have developed an inclusions list offering everything needed to ensure you don’t have to do anything. Some of our investment property features include:
  • Driveways
  • Sealed colour through concrete path and pad to clothesline
  • Sealed colour concrete to alfresco
  • Landscaping, complete with turf to front and rear yard, turf to nature strip, garden beds/ mulch/ plants to front yard, Pebble path
  • Fencing to estate guidelines (half share with neighbours)
  • Side gates and or return fences based on house siting
  • Clothesline
  • TV aerial
  • E screens & holland blinds
  • Flyscreens
  • Flyscreen doors
  • Gas provision to alfresco
  • Double GPO to alfresco
  • Split system AC and ducted gas heating
  • Letterbox with street numbers
  • Toilet roll holders
  • Towel rails
  • Pull out washing hamper to laundry
  Plus, all of our standard market leading inclusions like Colorbond roof, stone benchtops, soft close cabinetry, 2590mm ceilings, closed couple soft close toilets, tiled shower bases and so much more. Click here to see the Equity by Vue inclusions.

Terminology Explained

All of our homes comply with 6-star energy efficiency, regardless of orientation or structural changes. Some items used to help achieve a 6-star rating can include Hebel, double-glazing on windows, insulation and seals to doors and fans to ensure your home complies with a 6-star rating.
Prior to demolition of a property all service connections such as electricity, gas and telephone must be disconnected.
This outlines the trees on your and the adjoining sites. This report usually forms part of your town planning applications (when necessary) and allows the town planner to take into account any trees that may be affected by the development and outline controls in the town planning application. We will arrange the arborist report as part of and town planning applications if required.
An asset is a resource with economic value that an individual, corporation or country owns or controls with the expectation that it will provide a current or future benefit. Property is considered an asset due to its income producing value as well as its potential for capital growth.
Provides you with cover for any damage done to council assets by your demolition or construction.
This can include home theatre systems, alarms, door bells, blinds and as technology continues to advance many other appliances in your new home. We include an appointment with our home automation specialist when designing your bespoke new home.
A concrete filled column shaped hole, that runs down into the stiffer clay soil to provide stability. They are designed to reinforce underneath a slab as part of the engineering. The slab is then poured on top of the piers.
A change of the ceiling heights to define an area or provide additional architectural interest. In some cases, bulkheads have been designed to conceal mechanical pipes behind walls and ceilings, e.g. heating and cooling ducts.
A capital gains tax is a tax levied on capital gains or profits from the sale of specific types of assets.
Is the amount of money you can pocket at the end of each month, after all operating expenses (including loan payments) have been paid. If you spend less money than you earn, your cash flow will be positive. If you spend more money than you earn, your cash flow will be negative.
Or capital appreciation, is the increase in value of an asset or investment over time. Capital growth is measured by the difference between the current value, or market value, of an asset or investment and its purchase price, the value at the time the asset or investment was acquired.
Is a report that confirms that the fill used on your land has been compacted and certified by an engineer. This assists our engineers in designing your foundations.
Is the process of generating more return on an asset's reinvested earnings. To work, it requires two things: the reinvestment of earnings and time.
A conveyancer or legal practitioner is a professional who specialises in buying, selling, transferring, refinancing, subdividing and other legal matters in relation to property transfers. All conveyancers must be licensed and hold professional indemnity insurance.
The process of cutting into the slope of your site and using the material removed to fill other parts of the site to achieve the required levels. We will determine what the most appropriate site preparation is for your site based on engineering and survey.
These are set by the developer of an estate to ensure every home built within the estate has a consistent look and feel. We will work with you to ensure your new home is compliant, we also take care of the submission to make the process for you as easy as possible.
Double-glazing is when your windows have two glass panels with a gap between them. This is primarily used for energy efficiency and noise reduction.
An area of land registered on your title which gives a third party the right to use that land for a specific purpose (such as council access to sewage and storm water pipes.) Normally you cannot build any permanent structures on an easement. We also require permission when building in close proximity to an easement, which Vue Properties will co-ordinate on your behalf.
Is the value of an asset less the value of the liabilities on that asset. This is often confused with usable equity, which is the value of an asset less the value of the liabilities, less the deposit required by your lender against that asset.
Is required when the site needs to be adjusted to levels that suit the foundation design. We will determine what the most appropriate site preparation is for your site based on engineering and survey.
A is a concrete finish which washes the cement of the top layer of the aggregate, exposing the very top parts of the aggregate. It is primarily used in driveways and decorative concrete.
A detailed plan that identifies your boundaries, services, levels, structures and other important details about your property and the neighbouring properties.
During land development it is common for fill to be used to achieve the desired finish levels of the ground. Fill is also common when your site needs to be excavated or cut and filled to achieve the required levels for your foundations.
Is a person who agrees to repay the borrower’s debt should the borrower default on agreed repayments.
These are automated home features that can be operate throughout the home. Automation can include home theatre systems, alarms, door bells and blinds. You can arrange a home automation appointment when creating your bespoke design.
An interest rate is the amount of interest due per period, as a proportion of the amount lent, deposited or borrowed. Interest is normally expressed as a percentage.
If you borrow more than 80% then lenders will require you to pay lender mortgage insurance, otherwise known as LMI. Lender mortgage insurance covers the bank in the event that you default on your loan, borrowers often think this covers them in the event of default which is not correct.
Acts as an intermediary who brokers mortgage loans on behalf of individuals or businesses with lenders. Mortgage brokers are paid by the banks.
A property is negatively geared when the costs of owning it – interest on the loan, bank charges, maintenance, repairs and capital depreciation – exceeds the income it produces.
An alcove or indent in the wall. Niches are commonly used in showers to accommodate shampoo and soaps (A standard feature in all Vue Properties). They are also used as a decorative feature to display art, family photos or TV’s.
This refers to doors or windows you cannot see through. We include the option of obscure glass (translucent laminate) to front door(s) and side lite, ensuite, WC, bathroom to offer additional privacy. In some cases, they will be required due to overlooking a neighbour living zone or private open space.
This occurs when the investment income exceeds your interest expense (and other possible deductions). Note that you may be subject to additional tax on any income derived from a positively geared investment.
Recycled water is secondary water supply primarily used for watering the garden and flushing toilets. It is normally available in new land estates. Unlike most builders, connection (when available) to recycled water is already included with your new Vue home.
Identifies the correct boundaries of your land prior to commencement of construction.
Set for the construction of new dwellings, alterations and extensions to existing dwellings in Victoria only. The standards include street setback, building height, site coverage, parking provision, side and rear setbacks, walls on boundaries, overshadowing and overlooking and private open space.
Is designed/ engineered to retain earth. The wall can be made of different materials including sleepers, blocks or brick. Retaining walls are commonly used where there is limited space, and the site has been excavated to accommodate the design of the home.
Are primarily used when the soil on site is loose and traditional bored piers will not work. Like bored piers, screw piles provide reinforcement to the slab poured on top. Screw piles are normally made from steel piles, and like their name suggested they a screwed into the ground.
Is a quick and easy method of calculating the interest charge on a loan. Simple interest is determined by multiplying the daily interest rate by the principal by the number of days that elapse between payments.
Removes the very top layer of vegetation in preparation for the pre-slab and slab contractors. We will determine what the most appropriate site preparation is for your site based on engineering and survey.
A series of soil samples are taken from your block of land. This information is used to classify your soil type allowing our engineers design the appropriate footing system for your home.
A test to help gauge the soil and therefore design the right foundations for the property.
Is a charge applied by the state during the transfer of land or property and must be legally paid by you, the buyer, within 30 days of the exchange.
Are fixtures and features that are included in the price of your new home. Vue Properties provides the most extensive list of standard inclusions in Melbourne.
If your new homes contract is subject to finance, it means your contract is only valid if you obtain unconditional finance for the contract amount. You have the right to cancel you contract if you do not obtain finance approval.
Is chain link wire fencing that is required under council regulations. It is designed to help secure the site so that it complies with OH&S requirements.
Is an OH&S requirement and important safety measure to alert trades people working on site to the presence of overhead power lines.
Is the planning and control of the construction, growth, and development of a town or other urban area. Different regulations, planning controls, overlays effect each area differently.
Is required when your construction is on a busy road. It is used to co-ordinate deliveries of materials to site via trucks and cranes, while minimising the disruption to the flow of traffic.
Is a fiduciary relationship in which one party, known as a trustor, gives another party, the trustee, the right to hold title to property or assets for the benefit of a third party, the beneficiary. Trusts can provide protection for the trustor’s assets.
Is a fully completed home that an investor can purchase or immediately rent out.
When the power authority runs its main power connection underground it is called a power pit.
A valuation is used by your lender to ascertain the value of your home in the event they need to repossess and sell the property. You loan approval will normally be subject to a valuation before you receive unconditional approval.
A request to change a specified item in your signed contract. Your contract specifies in detail how variations are managed.
Are a reinforced concrete footing and slab system constructed on ground. They consist of a perimeter footing (edge beam) and a series of narrow internal beams (strip footings) at one metre nominal centres running each way.