N
ew to the market? Or looking
for subdividing opportunities?
Thereareafewthingsyouneedto
lookforwhensearchingforagood
subdividable property.- Size and zoningEach council has
specific rules for the minimum lot
size and zoning for subdivision. When
it comes to potentially subdividable
properties, the rule of thumb is the
bigger the better. Look for proper-
tiesthatareatleast700sqm–that
should be able to cover you for mini-
mum lot size. In any case, check the
town plan to make sure you can subdi-
vide before you buy. - DrivewayA good subdividable
property will need around 2.5m to
3.5mofspaceforadriveway,includ-
ing landscaping. Consider the new
block’saccesstotheroadbeforeyou
buy.Acornerblockcouldbeprime
realestate.Notonlywillitbeeasierto
connecttotheroadbutitislikelyto
have a kerb and gutter. It’s a good idea
to consult a town planner or surveyor
before you purchase.- SlopeCouncils are very strict
about rainfall retention. Flat lots are
easier and cheaper to subdivide than a
slopingblock,whichmayneeddigging
and retaining walls. The minimum size
requirements will change depending
ontheslope,soit’simportantyoudis-
cuss this with your planner. - StructureTo keep costs down, it’s
important that the existing dwelling
iswellbuiltincaseyouneedtomove
thingsaround.Thiswillkeepyourcon-
struction costs down. - Market movementYour ideal
property for subdivision should be one
in high demand with low supply. This
will lower the risk of your investment.
Youmustalsothinkaboutthedirec-
tion of the market – if it slows before
you are finished, often the first people
to drop out of the project are your
speculative builders and buyers as
there is less certainty.
Find a suitable site
requirements and zoning restrictions. Some types of
zoning don’t allow subdivision.
Ifit’sdoable,yourfirstpointofcontactshouldbe
asurveyorortownplanner.Theywillhelpyouiden-
tifyhowmanylotsyoucancreateaccordingtothe
property’s size and incline, and draw up the site plans
to lodge with the council. There are a few different
types of subdivision to consider – for example, you can
splityourblockintotwoormorelotsandbuildonthe
vacantland,oryoucouldconvertyourtitletostrata
and build a block of units. What you can and can’t do
will depend on your council.
Subdividingcanbeanexpensiveprocess.Before
you even think about building on your potential new
lot, consider the planning and application costs. Justin
Eslick, director of the Investigate Property buyer’s
agency in Brisbane, says consultants will be one of the
biggest expenses, costing around $17,000 on average
forafairlystraightforwardsubdivision.Complicated
projects requiring extra professional services to meet
council regulations will cost more.
“Therulesandminimumlotsizesdifferfromcouncil
tocouncilsoalocalplannerforyourareashouldbe
yourfirstportofcall,”saysEslick.“Forasmalllotsub-
division, at the very least you will require a surveyor, a
town planner (or a surveyor who can carry out the town
planningonyourbehalf)andacivilengineer.These
threewillgetthejobdoneforthemajorityofprojects
but for more complicated sites additional consultants