BadgerLady

Here's a fun sketch:

Thanks guys! I hadn't appreciated that the local councils had their own rules - I thought it was just the state-wide building codes. So there you go, something very important learned! Thanks for the link too CalNGary - great resource :biggrin: (Funny enough I am a licensed reptile keeper - got a pair of Bluetongues to control the cockroach population in my Sydney flat!)

Hia, So I have a new old ambition! To buy a plot of land and build myself a permiculture lifestyle in the form of a hobbit house in the countryside. I'm heading off to a residential course in straw bale building soon, to learn in practical terms how to foot, frame, build and finish in my chosen construction material. A bit of research tells me that it is an approved method in NSW and is even approved for fire prone areas (I was gobsmacked). I'm also hoping to be able to process my own water and electricity. I've bought and sold houses in the UK, but have never been in the market for vacant land and certainly not in Australia. Can anyone please advise: - Buying a plot of land - besides location, what are my main concerns? What planning restrictions are likely to be an issue? And why the hell are some plots advertised as suitable for building SOOO much cheaper than others? - Building me own house - I assume I'm going to need an engineer to sign off my plans and execution, but what else is a worry? And what should I be budgeting for beyond materials and labour? - Small holding - any restrictions on keeping some chooks, a goat and a composting loo? Do I have to steer clear of residential areas? Are there any planning advantages to being 'a farmer'? I'm still carrying out research on all these things but it can be a bit baffling to read through. I'm not entirely sure whether I've understood everything properly, so your anecdotes will be welcome support to the government material :smile:

Hmm. I'm looking to do something along these lines: http://simondale.net/frame.htm (I've got my own ideas about the exact layout though.) This style of building is getting to be pretty popular back in Wales since the Lammas project got underway... I've found some straw bale builders here in NSW (I'm doing a 3-day course in March) and some very early talk of using living roofs, but no examples yet of anyone actually building themselves something equivalent. It's been my dream for years, along with the goat and chooks :-P

Thanks! I suspected that might be the case... I'd been planning to get mortgage for the land and then pay cash for the building work, so I guess it just needs switching around in that case. New plan: I'll take a breath, save up some more cash and wait until my PR is granted before I buy anything

It says in the Sticky that you normally need 20% but that exceptions are sometimes made, even down to 5%. The trouble is I don't know who to approach - is it a different kind of mortgage to a home loan? And which providers are likely to jump on board? (And actually I could make it up to 20% by raiding my UK account if needed.)

Hia - so I'm currently on a 457. I plan to apply for PR but am also pushing ahead with plans to build a house in regional NSW. (I have a house back in Wales but it's almost certainly in negative equity these days - I rent it out and break even so there's no harm.) I've spied a plot of land in North NSW that seems to be a good deal - plenty enough space to build two properties and rent / sell the second as an investment. It's in just the right location for me and is going cheap due to its hilly nature, which is actally just what I need for my design. I need to secure PR before I can start building, in order to qualify for the NSW first new home grant, but of course that's all time that can be spent planning, securing contractors etc anyway. In fact I've booked into a couple of building training courses so I can be hands-on or at least aware of what's happening. I've got $10,000 sitting in the bank, increasing every month, and the land's just over $100,000. So in the meantime who could give me a mortgage for the remaining balance to buy this land? Or should I really be sorting out building contracts and securing a single mortgage for the whole development? Or should I wait (estimated 9 months) for my PR, and hope to find an alternative plot then?

Thanks guys - I think we have a plan :-D

Thanks! That wasn't one that even came up on my radar :-) When I first arrived I was told that my occupation could be counted as 'Business Analyst' on the state migration list. Personally I think that's a stretch, but...

Where do you go to get checked? I've been wanting to do so since I got here, just not sure where to start! I have hundreds of tiny moles all over my body and can't even vaguely keep track of them. New ones do appear wherever I've caught the sun... there are about 11 on the 3x1" strip of thigh where I 'missed a bit' last summer.

Hia, I've been reading through all the different immigration information, plus some of the threads on here, but it's all really rather baffling. I'm hoping someone with a little more experience will be able to cut through the fog and give me some advice! I arrived in Australia on a 1-year WHV and then got sponsorship from my employer for a 457, granted in November (graduate level position). About me: - Single, childless - 30 years old (turning 31 shortly) - No criminal record or medical history - 10 years experience working in web design / digital consultancy - Living and working in Sydney I'm happy enough with my job here and keen to stay in the country. My 457 allows me to keep going until 2017 but there are so many advantages to having residency that I'm impatient to apply. (I'd like to get a local mortgage, perhaps start my own business as I used to do in Europe, and eventually sponsor my father to move down for his retirement.) What's the best route? Should I apply directly for a PR now, wait until I've been in the same job for two years..? Or could I switch onto a visa with more flexibility in the meantime?