What is the Sustainabilty Declaration and what does it mean?

From 1 January 2010, a sustainability declaration must be completed when a house, townhouse or unit is marketed or offered for sale.  


What is a sustainability declaration? 


A sustainability declaration is a compulsory checklist that must be completed by the seller when selling a house, 

townhouse (class 1a building) or unit (class 2 building) from 1 January 2010. The declaration will inform buyers about 

the sustainability features of a property and increase community awareness of the value of such features. The declaration

identifies the dwelling’s sustainability features in four key areas:    

• energy 

• water 

• access        

• safety. 

Why is the sustainability declaration being introduced? 

There is growing concern about the impacts of climate change and the need to improve the sustainability performance of existing housing in Queensland. Encouraging prospective buyers to make informed choices about the sustainability performance of residential buildings is becoming increasingly important. Properties with a greater number of sustainability features potentially have lower energy costs and use less water. They can also be more comfortable to live in and generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions. 

Homes with access and safety features may be more liveable for occupants during their various life stages and can reduce potential  risks around the home such as trips and falls. The declaration aims to increase awareness of sustainable housing features when a property is marketed for sale. It also promotes possible ongoing financial and specific features. It is anticipated that the declaration will help promote the sustainability of a home and become a key marketing tool for real estate agents and private sellers. 


Click here to view the full factsheet

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Why Some Houses Have It

What makes some houses sell faster and for a better price than others that are to all intents and purposes pretty similar in size and features? Many of the differences between properties are hard to pinpoint and don’t come down to plain old bricks and mortar and land value. What are these elusive features that make all the difference?

There are several factors that contribute to a home’s appeal that aren’t always immediately quantifiable – orientation, design that maximises natural light, pleasing proportions and other factors that contribute to market appeal.

What if, for example, there are two identical homes, but the living area of one home faces north and the other south? Given that more buyers write ‘north-facing’ on their wish list, the north-facing property is surely more saleable (therefore worth more) than the south-facing one. All the same, the owners of the south-facing one probably think that their home has the same features and of course value as the one that buyers prefer.

The kind of appeal that makes buyers go ‘wow’ can also come simply from regular maintenance and attention to detail in the presentation of the property. A house that looks loved and cared for is shown to its best advantage, yet it may be identical in most other respects to a less popular property in the neighbourhood.

Elusive appeal is also likely to be a function of the original design concept of the house. After all, it is not uncommon for homeowners to “save” money at the planning stage of building or extensions. They achieve the measurable features they were after but not the elusive ‘wow’ factor. Good design, especially the skilful use of natural light, window placement and correct orientation on the land adds something you can recognise but can’t always define. Many people add on, or make minor changes as the need arises without taking a holistic view of their property. They think in terms of immediate solutions to particular problems (need large fourth bedroom with ensuite to become master bedroom) rather than conceptualising the impact of the house as a whole (small living area and kitchen means scale of property is out of balance).

Extending without reference to the scale of the home, for example, creates an floorplan that is not balanced and harmonious. Such a house is likely to lack the aesthetic pull of more cohesive designs even though the number of features looks the same when listed.

Home owners who want to save money should be aware that skimping on planning and design could mean that the house never reaches it’s full potential in terms of re-sale value, no matter how impressive its many ‘features’.


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R & R – balancing your life!

Not even a month into the new year and we can clearly see that it will be a busy one. With all the holidays and special occasions coming up it’s a great time to think about how important rest and relaxation is and keeping a balance between your work and home.


Recently I went to the Big Day Out music festival on the gold coast and spent the weekend with friends relaxing and having a great time. It was a wonderful experience and the atmosphere was amazing. We try to achieve a great working environment here as well and ensure that our staff have a great time and enjoy themselves while still knuckling down and achieving great results.

It is so very important to have that balance. Without one the other would not be successful. Think about this next time you have an opportunity to clear your head and enjoy yourself. Make the most of every moment.

Chantel Lewis
Senior Property Manager


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Contact us +6 17 3817 6666 | http://www.daviddeane.com.au/