How to find off-the-plan townhouses in Melbourne

Purchasing an off-the-plan townhouse is a fantastic way to secure a stylish, functional and spacious home for your family, often for much less than your preferred suburb’s median house price. 

What is an off-the-plan townhouse?
 

Understanding exactly what buying an off-the-plan property means is the first step in making an informed decision when it comes to purchasing real estate, whether you’re a first home buyer, looking to upsize, or think it’s time to move out of your detached family home and downsize. 

Buying off-the-plan means purchasing a property before it has been completed – by viewing the plans, i.e – the floorplan, renders and key details about the development and your individual property. You agree to purchase the property with guarantees pertaining to quality, style, timeframe of construction and completion date, size, decor and functionality – and these guarantees are written into your contract of sale. 

Benefits of off-the-plan townhouses in Melbourne

Affordability 

Getting together enough money to afford an established home in sought-after areas is becoming increasingly difficult for young Australians. The median price of an off-the-plan townhouse is often significantly lower than pre-existing houses, meaning there are many financial benefits to buying off-the-plan. 

If you're looking to purchase real estate as an investment, or are hoping to owner-occupy, there are a range of off-the-plan options across Melbourne that can help you afford a townhouse and beat this housing affordability dilemma.

A key benefit of buying off-the-plan is the value. You can purchase a home in Melbourne’s most highly sought-after suburbs, close to public transport and the best amenity. 

Many developers allow you to secure a home with a lower deposit, making an off-the-plan townhouse an achievable opportunity.

Design 

Buying an off-the-plan townhouse does not have to mean conforming to a uniform aesthetic. With flexible floor-plan options and customisable interiors becoming increasingly available, an off-the-plan apartment purchase now provides you with more scope for creativity than ever. 

The contemporary, chic design of many new residential developments across Melbourne offers the ideal blank canvas for you to set to work injecting your own personal style into your home, and well-designed townhouses are showcasing an increasingly intelligent and thoughtful use of space.

Sustainability 

Purchasing an off-the-plan townhouse not only offers the opportunity to inject your own personal style into a modern, contemporary space that can often be purchased for much less than the median house price for a comparable property in the area, but also means you can make a more sustainable choice. 

Forward thinking developers are creating collections of residential dwellings with a key focus on thoughtfully selected materials and impressively high energy ratings, giving owners a unique chance to seamlessly integrate sustainable practices into their everyday lives simply by enjoying their home.

Improved peace-of-mind

The off-the-plan duty concession is a key benefit to buying off-the-plan, with many purchasers eligible for sizeable concessions in Victoria. 

Thanks to recent legislation updates including changes to the Sunset Clause that protect Victorian buyers, purchasers can enter into an off-the-plan contract of sale across Australia with increased confidence. Developers are beholden to strict regulations and standards in quality, timely completion of work and transparency with purchasers, meaning you will know exactly what you’re signing and buying, with regular updates along the way. 

Investment potential

Off-the-plan property opportunities also allow you to break into the investment market at achievable prices, giving you a brand-new residential rental property. Thanks to the property being new and of high quality, the necessity for costly, request rental maintenance is much lower. 

Capital growth has proven to be strong for off-the-plan townhouses in Melbourne, particularly considering many new developments are located in high-growth areas. 

How to find an off-the-plan townhouse in Melbourne
 

Thanks to Apartments & Developments’ easy-to-use Townhouse Search tool, finding the perfect off-the-plan townhouse for you has never been easier. 

You can search by state or by using the map functionality to find the perfect new development for you. 

Best locations in Melbourne for an off-the-plan townhouse
 

There are a number of new townhouse developments across Victoria, with many being constructed in Melbourne’s highly sought-after inner suburbs. Many of these developments are positioned in high-growth areas, making an off-the-plan townhouse in Melbourne a great investment. 

Inner-West and North

Yarraville Place is situated in Melbourne’s increasingly trendy and sought-after inner-western suburbs, which are growing in popularity with first home buyers, young professionals and investors thanks to the close proximity to the Melbourne CBD, a plethora of public transport options and high level of local amenity. 

A collection of artfully designed townhouses by award-winning developer ID_Land, Yarraville Place offers a number of townhouse options for a range of buyers, close to key local facilities and transport links. 

Presented by Hamton and Hostplus in partnership with Moonee Valley Racing Club, Moonee Valley Park is a central part of the expansive $2 billion transformation to the iconic Moonee Valley Racecourse – a 40-hectare project set to unlock a new community with a diverse range of precincts and a host of onsite amenities. 

A collection of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom residences are available, with 50 percent of the development being dedicated to green spaces and parklands. 

Kensington has been growing steadily in popularity amongst Melburnians, thanks to its ideal location nestled between the inner-west and inner-north, just a stone’s throw from the city. 

Kensington’s contemporary attitude and industrial past is perfectly communicated through the thoughtful design of Lt Hardiman Lofts – 2 and 3 bedroom residences including beautiful townhouses, by Pitch Architecture + Development.

Surrounded by cafés, restaurants and entertainment options, Sunshine North is located within close proximity to the best of the inner-west. Inspired by a vision to create a neighbourhood of open and linked green spaces, the streets of LUMA Sunshine North will feature native landscaping, lush vegetation along nature strips. Homes and gardens blend visually with the streetscapes and internal parks.

LUMA’s Urban and Tempo homes have been architecturally designed to cater to busy lifestyles and modern family life. These contemporary 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes offer a wide range of smart floorplans.

Nestled within the best of Melbourne’s West, just minutes from Altona Beach, Alfie’s collection of 2, 3, and 4 bedroom home designs have been carefully considered to present a diversity of floorplan options to suit everybody.

Select from an array of contemporary designs, each boasts a personalised, landscaped front garden and car parking at the rear, settle into a charming, congenial leafy streetscape, where your home enjoys its own unique identity in a neighbourhood you can be proud of.
 

Inner-East and South

Known for its beautiful established homes, tree-lined streets and close proximity to the Melbourne CBD, Melbourne’s inner-east and south have been highly sought-after for many years, and with good reason.

Nestled in one of Melbourne’s most affluent, leafy inner-suburbs, Greenwell draws upon Camberwell’s timeless sophistication. Each residence sits on either two or three levels, and a private lift that connects every floor of the home from the basement to the top floor is a feature in nine of the townhouses.

Malvern East is known for its natural beauty and charm, and for being a place where people greet each other — 1975 epitomises a connected, community lifestyle.

This new project offers a rare blend of bold architectural design and low-maintenance luxury townhouses. Comfortable and considered, the 3 and 4 bedroom homes are intelligently configured across multiple levels.

Richmond is a stone’s throw from the city centre, within hyper-close proximity to Melbourne’s best sporting areas, concert venues, and highly-acclaimed restaurants. Crafted in honour of Richmond’s rich architectural heritage and vibrant cultural scene, Immerse boasts 3 and 4 bedroom sky townhouses that mirror the enhanced lifestyle on offer in this well-connected locale.

Immerse is perfectly positioned to make the most of this ideal location, and these stylish sky townhouses boast beautiful city views and present a unique property offering.  

Hawthorn has a reputation as being one of Melbourne’s most sophisticated and affluent suburbs, and the townhouses on offer at Hawthorn Park allow buyers to secure an enviable piece of real estate in this blue-chip location. 

A selection of luxury park-side apartments, Hawthorn Park boast of an approximate 2,000sqm of residential landscaped park  – with landscaping by Jack Merlo to enhance the physical and inner wellbeing of those who live here. On-site amenity includes a fully-equipped gym, yoga studio, rooftop pool and wellness centre.

An off-the-plan townhouse could be perfect for you
 

Entering into a contract for an off-the-plan home can be daunting, but many townhouses for sale are being crafted by industry experts, who understand the Melbourne property market and know how to deliver quality homes to savvy purchasers. 

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