Construction of Frog Way Park complete!

Construction of Marigold’s newest park in Stage 10 of the community, Frog Way Park, has recently been completed.

Featuring the signature curvilinear shared paths synonymous with Marigold’s main park, Frog Way Park is Gathering Grove’s smaller, but definitely not lesser, younger sibling.  Frog Way Park is the more passively centred park of the two, where residents can come to relax and enjoy a quiet moment sitting in the sun on one of the park benches, catching flies or utilising the large open-grassed area in the centre of the park for picnicking with family and friends.

The expansive grassed area will be a firm favourite amongst residents providing a multipurpose space for all to enjoy.

The final landscaping details were all completed this week including the extensive planting of varying tree varieties and small plants and the final rush of laying turf and raking mulch into place. The park will now undergo its own approval process with council whereby council and authority inspections will take place to sign off the constructed works before the park is awarded Statement of Compliance.

Once Frog Way Park has been given the green light from council and the governing authorities, we’ll be free to open the park to the public. Until that time, the temporary fencing will remain in place around the perimeter of the park.

We look forward to officially opening this new park for the Marigold community in Tarneit that will provide a hoppy space for all to enjoy.

Stay tuned for the official opening announcement coming soon!

Maintaining your Property

Growland encourages the regular maintenance of all properties within the community to improve the visual amenity of our Marigold community in Tarneit. Overgrown and neglected vacant lots are not only unsightly but can also attract pests like rats or snakes. As well as looking after the community we live in, maintenance of all properties reduces fire and health hazards and helps to ensure public safety.

Unfortunately, the dumping of rubbish and building materials is common in new communities under construction. Growland is aware of these instances throughout the Marigold community and does what it can to mitigate this illegal activity by installing signage and security cameras throughout the estate.

As the owner of your very own piece of the Marigold community, you can help prevent this unwanted behaviour by securing and maintaining your lot.

Please organise temporary fencing for your lot to prevent the dumping of rubbish as soon as possible upon settlement. It is a costly exercise, for you as the homeowner, if clearing is needed prior to the construction of your home.

Even if you are not planning on constructing your new home in the Marigold community straight away, it is still important to secure your property.

It is also your responsibility to maintain the vacant land to an appropriate standard. Vacant land is to be kept clear of any fire hazard, noxious weeds, box thorn plants, litter and rubbish, which could include concrete, dirt mounds, rocks and rubble.

Overgrown grass can be a fire hazard and must be maintained to a height of no more than 150mm all year round. Regular mowing or slashing is recommended.

We encourage vacant landowners to inspect your property regularly to ensure that these outcomes are achieved.

Wyndham City do undertake their own regular surveillance of new communities and will issue notices to any property that is deemed to not comply. You may also be issued an infringement notice if works are undertaken on your property on your behalf.

The above will help make Marigold a safer and more beautiful community for all to enjoy.

If you do see anyone illegally dumping within the Marigold community or any properties that are unkempt or pose a risk to public safety, please report the activity to Wyndham City Council Local Laws on (03) 9742 0777 you can also report the behaviour by visiting Wyndham’s online Customer Service Portal.

Fence2

Constructing your shared fence

Separating two pieces of land, a dividing or boundary fence is the joint property between the landowner and neighbour. The cost of building and repairing is shared equally between both parties.

If you are ready to construct your boundary fencing, you will need to get in contact with your neighbours (left, right and rear) before enlisting any contractors. Both neighbours who share the common boundary will need to agree to the costs to construct the new fence before any work is commenced.

To find out the contact details of your neighbours,  so you can begin discussions surrounding boundary fencing, please get in contact with the Wyndham council by following the directions at the link provided here.

Constructing a shared fence follows this general process:

1. Contact you local council (Wyndham – see link above) for your neighbours contact details

2. Obtain 3 quotes from separate contractors

3. Speak to your neighbour about the obtained quotes and allow your neighbour to source 3 of their own

If your neighbouring block is unsold and is still listed as the property of Growland, we recommend following these steps:

– Obtain 3 separate quotes

– Choose the best of 3

– Keep all 3 original quotes to present to your new neighbour when they eventually move in

– Present 3 quotes and their share of the invoice from your chosen contractor to your neighbour 

If you have any questions about the type of fencing or restrictions on the type of fencing allowed within the community, please refer to
the Design Guidelines here.

Please note: Growland is unable to provide any details to purchasers of adjoining lot owners.

If you would like more information on fencing law in Victoria, you can find that here.

Entry

Derrimut Road Entry Feature Complete

Work has recently been completed on the entry feature for the secondary entrance to the Marigold community off Derrimut Road in Tarneit.

Constructed in the same style and design as the original entry feature, on the corner of Doherty’s Road and Padma Boulevard (at the entrance to the Marigold Display Village) the new entry feature ensures consistency and a cohesive feel throughout the community by continuing the curvilinear stonework.

Construction of the entry feature has included building the stone walls by laying the individually shaped rounded boulders to the varying heights of the sloped wall. The wall is then levelled out and smoothed on top to create a nice finish, whilst simultaneously a signage writer has been commissioned to create the signage panels that make up the Marigold logo.

Stone wall complete awaiting Marigold lettering

Lastly, the entry feature is not complete without the landscaping work completed on the surrounding area with planting and laying grass.

Currently temporary fencing surrounds the new entry feature whilst the landscaping works continue.

Stay tuned for more construction updates coming soon!

To keep up to date with the very latest construction and community news, be sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and look out for the monthly construction portal update post that will allow you to monitor your stages’ construction progression.


End of Year Construction Wrap Up

2022 has been another big year at Marigold!

Marigold opened its first of two local parks, Gathering Grove Park, located on the corner of Cherish Drive and Rejoice Street in Tarneit earlier this year.  The park which will be the largest in the community boasts vibrant colours and feature play equipment that are easily identified on the approach to the park, creating a point of reference amongst the community. Construction has recently commenced on the Stage 10 Park, Frog Way Park, which is anticipated to be completed in July next year. You can read our news post on construction being underway on the new park here.

After two years in lockdown, we were finally able to celebrate the opening of our Display Village and officially welcome our Display Village builder partners to the community. Displaying 14 homes by 8 reputable builders, the Marigold Display Village brings together the very latest in modern design, family oriented and connected living, with a range of designs and layouts to suit all budgets and lifestyles. The Marigold Display Village is the place to visit to find the perfect House & Land package within our community. If you’re looking to be inspired before locking in your builder, you can view online here or visit in person Saturday to Wednesday.

Civil construction on the entry wetlands and skeleton creek, located near Stage 9 begun this year and we are happy to update that construction is now complete and we’ll begin the final phases of landscaping and planting in the coming months. You can read our Wetland Construction Update news post here.

Earthworks underway on the Wetlands

Read on below for a stage-by-stage progress report on the works occurring in your community.

Stage 10

Stage 10 will be the next Stage in the Marigold community to welcome new residents who can begin settling and construction of their own homes in the new year.

Stage 10 is currently in the Practical Completion phase and is aiming for Statement of compliance to be awarded before the year is out. Stage 10 Titles will register in the new year!

We look forward to welcoming our Stage 10 residents to the community.

Corner of Ulmus Street & Stean Lane in Stage 10 awaiting Statement of Compliance.

Stage 6

Construction is progressing well in Stage 6, which will be our next Stage to title after Stage 10.

The sewer and drainage works have now been completed and Kerb works are continuing. The road network has now been outlined throughout the stage and the construction team will continue to prepare the ground and start to construct the lower layers of the road pavement. Each stretch of road is made up of multiple layers, compiling of several layers of various gravel types, kerbs are added at the correct road height and then finally asphalt, which can be seen on the finished surface. From here, the construction team will install water and gas mains for ease of access for authorities to manage these services in the future. Once complete, attention moves to the physical construction of the kerb and channel (or gutter system). This is a barrier between the road pavement and the nature strip which is designed to provide road drainage and prevent water entering under the road surface. Construction on Stage 6 is anticipated for completion late Quarter 1 and we will then proceed with seeking approvals from all relevant authorities before lodging at the titles office.

Road layers going down in Stage 6

Stage 11

Sewer works have recently been completed in Stage 11 and drainage works are now underway. The drainage works will involve the construction of all stormwater pipes and pits throughout the stage. This will allow the safe draining of all stormwater away from all house lots preventing flooding. This stage will also involve work continuing along Skeleton Creek and the surrounding reserve. The Stage 11 scope will also deliver a culvert (bridge) that connects the Eastern part of the community to the Western Part across the waterway. The culvert will allow the water to continue to flow underneath whilst traffic crosses above on a regular looking road.

Concrete blocks on site ahead of work to begin on the culvert.

Stages 7, 8 & 12

The bulk earthworks are now complete throughout Stages 7, 8 & 12. Sewer works are underway in Stage 7 and will commence in Stage 12 before the year is out. Sewer works for Stage 8 have been scheduled to commence in early-2023.

The sewer works will involve the construction of all trunk and reticulation sewers to provide sanitation services to each house lot and connect these services to previously laid services throughout the community and to the wider approved sewer network.

We are looking forward to focusing on the delivery of these stages throughout 2023 and welcoming new residents to the Marigold community. The final stages of the Marigold community will go on sale next year. Stay tuned for your final opportunity to join the community!

The Marigold Construction Team will be taking a well-earned break over the holiday season and will be back on-site continuing work on your community mid-January. 

Stay tuned for more updates in the new year and don’t forget to check out our other construction updates on Marigold’s new park and ongoing construction on the wetlands! 

To keep up-to-date with the very latest construction and community news, be sure to like us on Facebookfollow us on Instagram and look out for the monthly construction portal update post that will allow you to monitor your stages’ construction progression.

Construction has Commenced on Marigold’s Stage 10 Park.

Growland is excited to announce that construction has commenced on our Stage 10 Park!

This new local park is positioned in the top north-eastern section of our community on the corner of Ulmus Street & Frog Way, aptly named Frog Way Park.

The new park will pay homage to the previously delivered Gathering Grove Park and reinforce the gentle, undulating forms of Marigold’s landscape by continuing the use of curvilinear shared paths around the perimeter and drawing on the use of large ornate boulders and logs to connect the green spaces. Frog Way Park has been designed as a more passively centred park where residents can come to relax and enjoy a quiet moment sitting in the sun on one of the park benches or utilise the large open-grassed area in the centre of the park for picnicking with family and friends.

The park will include feature platform seating, standard bench seating throughout, and a water fountain.

Frog Way Park will include some play equipment, directed towards our youngest residents, who can expect to be attracted to the wooden rockers and flower spinners that will add a burst of bright colour to the park.

Set out and site establishment are underway which involves establishing the building site with all of the correct health and safety measures in place.

Civil construction can then kick off with the next round of tasks including setting up temporary fencing and performing a general clean-up of the site before civil earthworks begin.

The above preliminary works are well underway, and our team are looking forward to commencing earthworks on the park in the new year.

We anticipate Frog Way Park to be open to the community in July next year.

We look forward to delivering this new park to the Marigold community that will provide a space for quiet reflection and encourage a healthy and active lifestyle for all residents. Marigold residents can expect to reap the rewards of being surrounded by ample green space, look forward to spending many hours outdoors and feel the benefits of an enhanced connection to nature. This is a space that all Marigold residents will be able to enjoy passively or actively.

Stay tuned for more construction updates coming soon!

The Pros of Buying off the Plan
The Pros of Buying off the Plan

The Pros of Buying off the Plan

Tossing up between buying off the plan and established? 

Here are the pros for buying off the plan!


Giving you time to save

Many first home buyers like buying something off the plan because it gives them more time to save for their initial deposit compared to established.

Buying off the plan enables you to secure land, or a house and land package, that suits your financial capability.  An initial deposit of $1,000 is all you need to secure the right block of land to suit your dream home. Upon signing your land contract, the balance of your 5% deposit is payable and no further payment is required until your land titles (which depends on your loan arrangements).  In the meantime, whilst you are waiting for your land to title, you are able to work with your chosen builder to finalise your build costs. You also have the time between paying your deposit and settlement to continue saving for upgrades, items for your new home or allowing for unexpected costs. This transparent and upfront process can be more agreeable, particularly if you are working with a tight budget and need to know exactly the amount you have committed to.

Buying off the plan allows you to enter the market on your terms. You are not subjected to attending multiple auctions week after week praying for something to sell within your price range. You already know the total cost of your land or house & land package (fixed only).  With established homes, you also have a shorter window to settle, generally either 30, 60 or 90 days and need to allow for stamp duty fees. 

Another advantage is that we work with many builders who also offer saving plans for first home buyers. Ask our sales team to point you in the direction of these builders if that sounds like something that interests you.


5% is all you need!

Here at Marigold all you need to secure your lot is an initial deposit of $1,000! This secures your land whilst you review your contract with your conveyancer.  The balance of the 5% deposit is required upon signing your land contract. At settlement, after your land has titled, any further payments are made by your banking instituion on your behalf in accordance to your loan conditions. Anticipated title dates vary between stages in a community and can generally range from 9 months up to 18 months. When choosing the right block of land to suit your needs, you can choose one with titles further out, so you have plenty of time to save.


Saving on stamp duty 

If you buy an established home, you will most likely pay land transfer duty (otherwise known as stamp duty). 

Depending on the value of your home, you may be able to claim a duty exemption or concession.  

First-home buyer duty exemption – A one-off duty exemption is available if your new home is valued up to $600,000 and will be your principal place of residence (PPR).

First-home buyer concession – You may be eligible to claim a discount on your stamp duty if your new home is worth between $600,001 to $750,000 and it will also be your principal place of residence.

When you buy a block of land, stamp duty is only calculated on the value of the land, which may mean you will not be required to pay for stamp duty at all. Whooppee!


Receive $10,000 from the government with the First Home-Owner Grant!

That’s right, $10,000 from the government for nothing! Pretty sweet huh?

If you build a new home valued up to $750,000, you may be eligible for the First Homeowner Grant (FHOG).
Find out more here – https://www.sro.vic.gov.au/first-home-owner


Avoid the negotiations

Never been a good negotiator? Buying off the plan can save you the trouble!

When choosing to buy established, conditional/unconditional loans, settlement timeframes and deposit amounts are all factors that can influence your attractiveness to a vendor. Any offer you present is at the vendors discretion. This is where second home buyers and investors can win out over first home buyers in negotiations if they have a bigger deposit amount saved or the imminent sale of a home behind them.


We hope we have put together a good case for buying off the plan. At the end of the day, we know that you will make the right decision for you at this stage of your life.
Most importantly, buying off the plan is great as you have the fun and freedom of choosing your home and being the first one to live in it!

Have more questions about what buying off the plan is like? Our friendly sales team are happy to help and answer any queries you may have.
If you wish to speak to our sales team,  please feel free to reach out on either of the following methods:

Phone: 1300 888 181

Email: info@marigoldtarneit.com.au

Saving for your deposit

Saving for you first home is no easy feat! Thankfully, we have some tips and tricks to help you on your way.


Review your finances 
It’s time to look at what’s going in versus what’s going out. Are you living above your means? You probably have an idea about where you are sitting already.
Review what you spend your money on. Is there room for you to cut back in any way? Those coffees add up! Lunch out adds up. Find what it is for you and come up with a plan to address your squeaky wheel.

You could purchase a coffee machine and make yourself barista quality at home. You can then put it in your fancy keep cup and take it to work with you.
Compromise to only eat out once a weekend and do anoter activity with friends instead.
If you are always tempted by Ads, it’s probably a good idea to remove your most tempting brands from your social feeds for the short term.

Lenders do go through your bank statements so if the spending looks reckless, they are going to look at your application less favourably.


Credit cards
They sound amazing but did you know when applying for a loan banks and lenders assume you use the entire credit limit each month?
This means even having one in your name, even if it is just for “emergencies” means you have an automatic amount of debt against your name.  
If it isn’t absolutely essential for you to have a credit card, getting rid of it before you apply for a loan, reducing the limit, or transferring the balance to one with a lower interest rate, will help to improve your borrowing capacity.  And be sure to always pay off your credit card on time!


Buy Now Pay Later
It’s lay buy but with a twist where you get the goods first and pay the balance off later! Too good to be true? Sadly, yes.  It’s another factor lenders will be looking out for when they assess your home loan application. It doesn’t send the right message to the lender as you should be able to afford to pay for the things you need to buy in full at the time. It’s also super easy to rack up a lot of debt here really quickly which doesn’t signal that you’re particularly good at managing money or a home loan. A good rule of thumb is; if you can’t afford to buy it twice you can’t afford it at all.


Subscriptions
Now that you’re committed to saving, it’s a good time to check your savings bucket for any holes – aka, subscriptions. Those expenses that are coming out of our account unnoticed that you really aren’t getting much value for.

Do a review of all direct debit subscriptions that are coming out of your account. Which subscriptions are you actively using and which ones could you honestly do without. Many of us signed up to a streaming
platform (or two) throughout lockdown. During lockdown that made perfect sense because we were all at home way more than we wanted to be (and using these platforms way more than we would like to admit).

Now that we are back out socialising, like the social butterflies we are (not too much because we are saving) we may not be getting much value out of them. Firstly, if you have multiple streaming
services; make a decision to stick with one and cut the rest. The beauty of these services is that you can binge one show on one platform one month, suspend and watch another show on a different platform the month after. Put a date in your calendar each month (just before the renewal) where you look
at your calendar for the month ahead and make a judgement if you will use it this month. Suspend if you’re going to be busy and keep if you’re planning to have a quieter social month. Plans fall through? You can resubscribe in an instant.  

Having a regular check in like this will make sure you’re not paying for it whilst off on a holiday too.


Another common one for a lot of people are gym memberships. Summer is coming but honestly reflect on how much you are using this service. Gym memberships are a little more complicated in that they cannot usually be suspended and unsuspended without going through paperwork – which they know is cumbersome and why they do it to keep your money rolling in!
If you’re booking classes via an app, you should be able to go back through your app to see how often you went over the last month.
Now, divide that number by your monthly charge. Is it worth it? Is that the value you wanted to be getting from this service?
Noone is saying quit the gym but there might be a more value driven option for you. If you are a really sporadic gym goer a casual membership might be the way to go. These one-off passes seem more expensive but if you only get to the gym once one week and three times the next, you’ll be saving money overall. The other great thing about lockdown was that a lot of people uploaded a lot of free exercise content online. Plus, with the weather getting warmer you might find you have more motivation to wake up early and go for a walk or run instead. Being in nature is an added benefit for your health too!


We hope these tips will be beneficial to your savings goals. Stay tuned for more updates coming soon!

Our friendly sales team are happy to help and answer any queries you may have.
If you wish to speak to our sales team,  please feel free to reach out on either of the following methods:

Phone: 1300 888 181

Email: info@marigoldtarneit.com.au

Construction Works are progressing on the Entry Wetlands and Skeleton Creek.

The Marigold construction team have now completed the civil works for the Northern Wetland (you can read our previous update here) and landscaping works are set to commence shortly.

In addition, the team have now turned their attention to delivering the Civil works for the Southern Wetland and Future Waterway (creek area).

Read on for a re-cap and breakdown of what the civil works entail!

The wetlands are set to become a visual and attractive feature of the community but also serve a practical function by capturing and cleaning the storm water run-off from the community. It is a pretty impressive feat of engineering that utilises a natural way to treat and remove pollutants from stormwater before it enters our creeks, rivers and oceans.

Constructed wetlands typically have three design features that work together to help filter stormwater and protect the area from flooding:
• inlet zone – a sediment basin that removes coarse sediment
• macrophyte zone – a shallow area densely planted with aquatic plants and the main part of the wetland, which removes fine particles and dissolved pollutants
• high flow bypass channel – lets excess water flow around the wetland without damaging the plants

These three areas of the wetland use three different methods (physical, biological and chemical uptake, and pollutant transformation) to clean the water.

The wetlands large open water section (inlet zone) is designed to be big enough to capture a sufficient amount of water. This design also helps to disperse the flow of the water across the width of the wetland to slow it down. This ensures there is sufficient time for the water to be cleaned and filtered to maximum potential. The water is slowed to a point where the sediment drops out of the water column by gravity, which can then be collected in the sediment pond.

Pipes and drainage are added to also assist with controlling the flow of water, to move water from the sediment pond to the macrophyte section and to eventually transport the water into the wider water network. Once the pipes and drainage system were completed, the construction team began layering the bed of the wetland with the different ground coverings which are one of the physical methods wetlands used to help clean and filter the water. The layers are made up of crushed rock and different sediments. One such layer is gypsum.


Water will move from an area of low salt concentration to an area of higher salt concentration. Soils with lots of salt (such as those with high clay content) may look moist but plants cannot absorb this moisture. Gypsum helps this by binding to the clay particles (chemical removal) in the water which allows the plants to use the moisture stored in the soil.


The balance of the civil construction work is anticipated to be completed in the coming weeks. This is perfectly timed to commence the landscape scope in the following month at the height of Spring.
Spring is the opportune time to complete landscaping as we are blessed with ample sun and rain which is exactly what freshly sown plants and grass require to grow.


The selected wetland plants (hydrophytes) that will be included in the wetland and surround the immediate area of the reserve, also play a role in the removing of sediment and filtering the water to improve the ecosystem.


Stay tuned for more construction updates!

How to choose the right block of land

So, you’ve decided to buy land to build your dream home. Great! Now what? 

Where do you begin? Luckily, we are experts, and we have a few suggestions of things to consider to ensure you find the block of land that is perfect for you! 

Get started with this essential checklist that will help you find the perfect block of land for your dream home. 

Know your finances.

Consolidate your savings and prepare your spreadsheets with your expenses, it’s time talk to your bank or financial specialist for a pre-approval. This is an indication from the bank of your borrowing capacity (the amount the bank or financial institution is willing to lend you). This amount is based on your income, deposit amount and other expenses.

From here, you will have a better understanding of your overall budget! This is an important step as it allows you to search for your house and land confidently, knowing what budget you have to work with.

Don’t forget to put aside some funds for stamp duty and other taxes like Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI). 

Find the perfect floorplan.

The size of the lot you purchase will determine the size of the house you can build. 

Determining the size of the floorplan you need helps prevent you from overpaying on the land component as you won’t be paying for excess land you do not need. 

A checklist with your ‘must-have’ and ‘negotiable’ items is a great way to get started. Answer questions like: 

-Are you looking for something low maintenace or would you like a big backyard with space for a pool or garden shed?

  • How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need?
  • Are you looking to build a single or double-storey?
  • What design features will make your life easier? A study or working from home space, walk-in pantry and large bench, alfresco for outdoor entertaining? 

Visiting display villages and speaking to building consultants will help you choose the right floorplan to suit your family’s needs. 

Is north facing the best orientation?

The orientation of your land and floorplan is another important consideration. From a builder’s perspective, north-facing land in Tarneit allows maximum sunlight throughout the seasons. With the sunshine facing onto the main living areas, this will passively heat your home during the colder months, helping you save on your electricity bill. The placement of windows can also have a significant impact too!

Location.

Finding a community that complements your lifestyle is the next all-important step. 

  • Do you want to be able to walk to local shops and cafes?
  • Do you want to be close to an abundance of parks, open space and cycling and walking trails?
  • Are you planning on starting a family and need to be close to schools and early learning centres?

These are all important factors that should be considered when looking for the ideal community to call home. The key point is that you decide what factors are most important to you. We may be biased but Marigold ticks a lot of those boxes!

View Marigold’s enviable location in Tarneit here or discover more of the future amenity planned for the area here.

We hope this checklist has provided you with some helpful information to assist you with your new home buying journey.

If you have any questions or wish to discuss any aspects of the home and land buying journey, you can contact our friendly sales team on 1300 888 181 or via email at info@marigoldtarneit.com.au.