Avid Property's Mini-Lots Keep The Tempo For Home Ownership

Avid Property Group's latest house and land offerings claim to be the innovative solution to ensuring the 'great Australian dream' still lives on.

The company’s 'Tempo' offerings were made available at AVID’s Brentwood Forest community in Queensland and Savana in Victoria, and are built on freehold lots as small as 150 square metres.

Tempo homes are the smallest lots possible within the Ipswich LGA planning scheme and were built in a variety of configurations to add diversity the streetscape.

AVID Property Group General Manager Queensland Bruce Harper said Tempo homes were the result of collaboration with leading designers to offer homes architecturally designed to maximise small lots.

“The Tempo range is satisfying the desires of both apartment and house hunters with affordable, easy to maintain properties, which still benefit from the capital appreciation enjoyed by freehold houses,” Mr Harper said.

“Tempo homes really fill a gap in the market for people who still want to own their own home at an affordable price but don’t want to buy into the sort of community title arrangement of attached housing.

“Tempo homes have been particularly popular with first home buyers or down-sizers, and suit people who are looking for an easy to maintain home without the hassle of lots of yard maintenance."While national house prices increased nearly 20% over the last five years, household incomes rose by just 9.2%, putting the attainability of home ownership in question for a growing number of Australians.

Mr Harper said he’s seen quarter acre blocks (1,000 square metres) become virtually extinct over the past 40 years in the industry, and even lots half that size become far less common.

“We are now seeing some lots as small as 50 square metres, and some attached terrace apartment buildings with frontages are small as 6.5 metres, and this is not only happening for inner city developments,” he said.

“Developers are increasingly responding to changes to more complex local council planning laws with small block options and fixed price house and land packages.

“Skillful designs are needed to produce small lot homes that are attractive, sustainable and affordable, and affordable does not have to mean a downgraded lifestyle.

“This comes down to clever design that maximises natural airflow, light and utilises clever storage options.

“High ceilings create a sense of space and encourage ventilation and the use of light materials not only make a room feel bigger, but also minimise the carbon footprint of the homes and reduce their thermal load.”