Vacant Land

Buying or selling vacant land in Victoria - done carefully.

Vacant land transactions carry risks that don't appear in a standard house purchase. Easements, restrictive covenants, planning overlays, infrastructure contributions, and builder coordination all require expert attention. Our team handles every detail so your land purchase moves smoothly from contract to title.

Title & covenant searches
Planning & zoning advice
Builder coordination
Fixed fee, no surprises
500+
Settlements completed
10+
Years experience
Fixed
Fee quoted upfront
PEXA
Certified practitioner
What we cover

Everything included in
your vacant land matter

Our vacant land service covers the full scope of the transaction - from contract review through to title registration in your name.

Reviewing contract and Section 32 documents

Contract & Section 32 Review

We review the contract of sale and Section 32 in full. For vacant land this includes identifying any restrictive covenants, building envelopes, construction timeframes, and special conditions imposed by the vendor or developer.

Property title and search documents

Title & Searches

Full title search, planning certificate (Section 60), council rates, water/sewerage, land tax, and any additional searches relevant to your land. We check for easements, encumbrances, and infrastructure levies.

Open land at golden hour representing covenants and easements

Covenants & Easements

Restrictive covenants on vacant land can limit how and what you build. We identify and explain all covenants and easements affecting your land so there are no surprises when you engage your builder.

Quiet residential street representing planning zones

Planning & Zoning Advice

We advise on the planning zone and overlays applicable to your land - residential growth zones, neighbourhood residential zones, bushfire overlays, flooding overlays - and what they mean for your building plans.

Savings representing stamp duty and grant advice

Stamp Duty & Grant Advice

We advise on stamp duty liability for your land purchase, first home buyer concessions where applicable, and the First Home Owner Grant eligibility if you are building your first home on the land.

House keys on a warm timber surface representing settlement

PEXA Settlement

We complete settlement electronically via PEXA - coordinating with the vendor's representative, lender, and any outgoing mortgagee. You are notified immediately when title transfers to you.

Newly built townhomes representing construction timeframes

Construction Timeframe Clauses

Many developer-sold vacant lots include clauses requiring construction to begin within a specified period. We identify these requirements and explain your obligations before you are committed.

Clean empty commercial space representing builder coordination

Builder Coordination

If your builder requires title details, search results, or covenant information for their building permit or design approval process, we coordinate directly with them to ensure the information is provided promptly.

Know before you buy

Unique risks in vacant land purchases

Vacant land carries title and planning issues that don't arise in standard house purchases. We identify these before you are committed.

01

Restrictive Covenants

Developer estates often impose covenants restricting materials, design, building size, fencing, and landscaping. These are legally binding and can restrict your build significantly.

02

Infrastructure Contributions

Development contributions for roads, drainage, open space, and community facilities may be payable at permit stage. We identify any scheduled contributions affecting your land.

03

Services & Connections

Water, sewerage, gas, and electricity connections are not always in place on vacant lots. We advise on what is connected and what connection costs you may need to factor in.

04

Planning Overlays

Bushfire Management Overlays, Flood overlays, and Design & Development overlays can impose additional requirements on what and how you build. We identify any overlays affecting your land.

05

Building Envelopes

Many estates restrict where on the lot a building can be placed. We identify building envelope restrictions early so your builder and architect can plan accordingly.

06

FRCGW Compliance

From 1 January 2025, the 15% Foreign Resident Capital Gains Withholding applies to all property sales regardless of price. We manage ATO clearance compliance for vendors and purchasers.

Your journey

From contract to title - step by step

Vacant land settlements follow a similar process to residential purchases, but with important additional steps around planning, covenants, and builder coordination. Here is how we manage your matter.

First Home Owner Grant: If you are purchasing vacant land to build your first home, you may be eligible for the First Home Owner Grant of $10,000, provided the completed new home is valued at $750,000 or less. We advise on eligibility as part of your matter.

1. Engage Cityside

Send us the contract and Section 32. We confirm our engagement in writing and provide a fixed fee quote for the full matter.

2. Contract & S32 review

We review all documents including covenants, building envelopes, construction timeframes, and any developer-imposed conditions specific to your lot.

3. Searches & planning check

We conduct all required searches - title, planning certificate, council, water, land tax - and advise on any overlays or encumbrances affecting your land.

4. Builder coordination

Where required, we provide your builder with title information, covenant details, and search results to support their building permit application and design process.

5. Transfer preparation

We prepare the Transfer of Land, liaise with your lender, and coordinate all pre-settlement steps including stamp duty and FRCGW compliance.

6. Settlement via PEXA

Settlement is completed electronically. Title registers in your name and we confirm the outcome to you immediately. Your build can now proceed.

Why Cityside

What makes our vacant land service different

We read covenants carefully. Restrictive covenants are legally binding on your land title. We identify every covenant and explain what it means for your build before you are committed.

Planning overlay awareness. We identify planning overlays applicable to your lot early - so your builder and designer have what they need from the start.

Fixed, transparent fees. Our quote covers professional fees, searches, and disbursements. No unexpected extras at settlement - ever.

Bilingual English & Vietnamese. We serve Melbourne's Vietnamese community with full conveyancing advice in both languages - documents, explanations, and direct communication.

Questions answered

Vacant land FAQs

A restrictive covenant is a legally binding condition registered on the title of land that restricts how the land can be used or developed. In residential estates, covenants commonly restrict construction materials (requiring brick or Colorbond, prohibiting fibro), minimum floor areas, fencing styles, and landscaping requirements. Covenants run with the land and bind all future owners. We identify all covenants in our title search and advise you on what they mean before you sign.

The First Home Owner Grant of $10,000 is available when you purchase or build a new home as your first home. If you are buying vacant land to build on, eligibility depends on the combined value of the land and construction contract (the total must not exceed $750,000 for most first home grants). We assess your eligibility as part of your matter and advise on timing and application.

Stamp duty on vacant land in Victoria is calculated on the purchase price of the land alone - not the construction cost. First home buyers purchasing land where they will build their first home may be eligible for a full exemption (where the dutiable value of the land is $600,000 or below) or a concession (up to $750,000). We calculate your stamp duty as part of our initial consultation.

For private sale contracts for vacant land in Victoria, buyers have a 3 business day cooling-off period after signing. If you withdraw during this period, you forfeit 0.2% of the purchase price. There is no cooling-off period if you purchase at auction. We recommend engaging us before you sign so we can review the Section 32 and advise on the contract terms before you are committed.

Let's talk

Buying or selling vacant land? Let's talk.

Call our team for an initial conversation. We review the contract, advise on covenants and planning, and provide a clear fixed fee quote - no obligation.

0413 298 728
Mon–Fri 9am–6pm
or
Email our team
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