The five things I'd most like to change about our floorplan

5.  The master bed is only so-so, and not the grand suite of some displays
4.  Although it's really huge, the pantry is not overly practical as a place to store food
3.  With no windows directly into the kitchen, it's going to be a dark place during the day
2.  The top floor.  We don't really need it at all.
1.  After having a bath for the first time in a year today, I think I might miss not having a downstairs bath.

The 5 best things about our floorplan

5.  The whopping great big, huge, massive rumpus room upstairs
4.  Semi-ensuites to all 4 minor bedrooms upstairs
3.  Having the master downstairs
2.  Coming in from the garage to the mud room with a coat and storage cupboard to stop all of the "stuff" getting too far inside
1.  The way the rear of the house opens onto the alfresco and kind of beckons you outside

Stage 13 = gone!

Went down to the estate today and COULD NOT BELIEVE our eyes.  The sales boards with current stages available next to the sales office showed that every block in the newly released stage 13 was been sold.  Our release is a little way behind with some of the 10m wide lots still available, but compared to the internet, there appears to be very little land left.

So many houses now under construction.  It's nice to see people walking around their blocks, pacing out their back yards through the mud.  Hopefully the long wait makes everyone appreciate what they have even more!

Developers Approval - tick

"Thank you for your correspondence regarding the submission of plans at the aforementioned estate.  The documents have been assessed and the design approved."

Probably not much in the big scheme of things, but when you're waiting for any form of positive news, it's really exciting.

I'm assuming this means that we have the lock on the "Ashmont" facade within 5 lots of ours?  Don't worry - we haven't picked these colours - why do PD present the lifestyle facades in such a boring way?  The other ranges have much better facades and more imaginitive images too. 

PD, it's time to spruce up the Lifestyle options - but only if we can make a change if there's something we like better!!

How long is a piece of string??

I don't like being kept in the dark or things being out of my control.  Then why would you decide to build, I hear you ask.  And right now thats a very valid question.  We have a 10% stake in a road-less block of very flat land, a 5% stake in a very posh potential new home which leaves 85% of uncertainty.  We have a house to sell.  The market appears to be slowing.  Rentals are tight.  Our land is completely stagnent and there are 4 stages before us yet to title.  So when do we put our current home on the market?  Now and rent for however long it takes to have land and then house completed?  The land could be another 6 months away - maybe more.  The build is scheduled for 30 weeks from site start, but who knows when that will be, and by missing our October site start booking (which I'm sure we will - at a penalty of 2.5K per quarter) will we be pushed further down the queue?

Too many uncertainties!