THERE have been at least three examples in recent weeks of potential pitfalls for property buyers and existing owners, and the lesson seems to be ask around but there are few guarantees.
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Last week we reported on a family which moved from one suburban house in Orange with good internet access to a home in another area where, you guessed it, there was no internet connection via the local exchange.
While Telstra was able to reassure residents without an internet connection that it is still rolling out neighbourhood connections while the city waits for work on the National Brodaband Network to start late next year, it also confirmed that an existing connection for one householder was no guarantee for the next.
In a few parts of the city there are no spare connections for internet access and there is a waiting list. If you happened to buy a house in an area such as this the next connection would go to the household at the top of that list, not necessarily to the home buyer.
There are many cautionary tales about the wisdom of checking council plans which cover future bypass routes or zoning regulations which govern types of land use, and housing density, and any sensible property buyer would spend considerable time at council offices finding out about these.
But what about situations where a zoning plan is under review, or about to be reviewed?
At Spring Hill and around Lucknow this scenario is being played out right now.
Many Spring Hill residents are up in arms over a proposal to rezone over 300 hectares of farmland around the airport for business and industrial use.
Old timers are angry but so too are recent arrivals who have built after a comprehensive check of existing zoning rules.
Both these proposals may not proceed in their current form, but the only certainty seems to be that moving into areas which are strategic because of their proximity to roads, airports or other facilities brings with it a risk that things could change, and buyers must take an active interest in the agendas of councils.