Pros & Cons of a corner block

[tbmabel]

I'm about to purchase my first IP and stumbled upon this forum a few weeks back and would just like to say how helpful the articles and threads have been.

I'm looking at purchasing land in an estate where homesites are slowly released and have noticed corner blocks are commonly overlooked and the last to be sold.

I was wondering what opinions are out there to the pros and cons of purchasing a corner block with the intent of building and renting out as an IP.

 

[jerrybee]

Here are my thoughts:

Cons:
-less privacy depending on how it's fenced
-more fencing required
-more tyre screeching if people are taking turns at high speeds (depends on the community, whether you have plenty of motor heads. Even if you don't there will still be the occasional screeching as it's difficult to avoid)

Pros:
-could make for easier sub-division, since you could slice it in two different directions

 

[Andrew_A]

A very nice potential plus if there's anything development related in the pipeline, otherwise depends on the corner as jerrybee points out.

 

[Tano]

Corner blocks cost more but have some advantages when developing

Can strata with no common property
Maximise use of site area
No site restriction costs
No wasted land with long driveway to rear dwelling
Can use corner truncation in site area
Corner blocks count as one continuous frontage.
Each house has their own frontage = More value

 

[Scott No Mates]

More lawn to mow.

 

[neK]

Im with Scott - Got two lots of council strip to mow. Takes forever!

 

[devank]

One less neighbour

 

[ark8]

A corner site, depending on the site orientation and setbacks/heights of neighbouring properties, will get less or no over-shadowing. Greater (northern) solar access = improved spatial quality

 

[tbmabel]

Thank you some great insights.

 

[Scott No Mates]

One less neighbour

...or one more.

 

[Scott No Mates]

You can also have two lots of street setbacks to contend with depending upon the corner.

 

[westminster]

Also brilliant if you want to put a granny flat in the rear.

I also like them for putting garage off side access and then you don't have the garage dominating the front of the house.

 

[INVSTOR]

My neighbour has paved one intire side. He uses it for parking. He has a lot of visitors that park there then go walk around the streets door knocking. I know not to answer the door when they have lots of visitors.

 

[jackbak]

A very nice potential plus if there's anything development related in the pipeline, otherwise depends on the corner as jerrybee points out.

It's a new estate development so unlikely there will be a demand for splitter blocks. I'd steer clear of it tbmabel, they are the last to sell for a reason.

 

[datto]

Great for bogans to hang out. I remember as a kid, the corner houses with big fences provided excellent shade during the hot summer months.

We used to sit down on the grass, our backs propped against the fence, a can of UDL would be passed around. LOL, I remember corner blocks with swimming pools were even more popular!

 

[neK]

My neighbour has paved one intire side. He uses it for parking. He has a lot of visitors that park there then go walk around the streets door knocking. I know not to answer the door when they have lots of visitors.

why would his visitors go door knocking?

 

[datto]

Religious reasons perhaps.

 

[INVSTOR]

Religious reasons perhaps.

Yes - it's pretty annoying when you're painting or something..

 

[A Jeremy]

Something that is highly unlikely, yet is very much a possibility, is for a car to lose control and plow through the fence or house - hopefully missing any living things. I would build a reinforced, core-filled block wall just to be safe.

That being said a have two corner block developments. If there are large compulsory front setbacks, these can be used to accommodate the private open spaces.


Jeremy

 

[INVSTOR]

Something that is highly unlikely, yet is very much a possibility, is for a car to lose control and plow through the fence or house - hopefully missing any living things. I would build a reinforced, core-filled block wall just to be safe.

That being said a have two corner block developments. If there are large compulsory front setbacks, these can be used to accommodate the private open spaces.


Jeremy

True! I have seen quite a few brick walls being smashed and one front brick veranda!!