When Justine set off with her partner Jeromy on their journey to home ownership their sights were set firmly on their hometown Ballarat.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Despite having almost zero experience building and decorating a new home and carrying her first child, Justine said the decision to design and build their dream home was relatively stress-free after she and Jeromy secure their ideal home site in one of the area's fastest-growing new communities, Winterfield.
"In the beginning, it a was completely unfamiliar process and a very steep learning curve, but once we got our head around it we thoroughly we enjoyed the journey," she said.
Building means you don't have to settle for anything less than your dream home.
- Justine, Winterfield homeowner
"We were involved throughout the entire process, everything from selecting our home site, planning the floor plate and layout, and picking out the fixtures, fittings and all the finishing touches that have turned this new house into our dream home.
"Armed with some fantastic advice from friends, family, our builders and Winterfield's sales consultant, Katie, along with countless hours of research on Instagram and Pinterest, we made it work.
"I was instantly drawn to buying a block of land instead of purchasing an older house," she said. "It has always been a dream of mine to plan and build my own home," she said.
Justine took styling pointers from Instagram influencer and interior designer Joanna Gaines, picking everything from the colour palette to doorknobs and much more, something she says she wouldn't have been able to do if she had purchased an existing home.
So what advice does Justine have for fellow first home buyers or builders, or both?
"Building means you don't have to settle for anything less than your dream home," she said.
"A lot of the time, there is flexibility in what your builder can do within your budget, so always seek out a second, or even third, opinion and don't be afraid to negotiate."
For more information, please contact Winterfield sales manager Katie Hewitt on 0400 910 102, or visit winterfield.com.au.