The story so far

Back in late June 2011 we happened upon an easterly aspect block on Waterfall Boulevard in the Ponds.

It was 589 sqm and wasn't on the corner, wasn't crossing a T-intersection, and wasn't on top of a pad mount substation. It was slightly sloping, with a retaining wall to the rear, and near to the nature reserve and recreation area.

At the time we weren't really looking to buy land, nor build a house.
But within a couple of days, we'd secured the block, sight unseen, off the plan. 

SO here's where we are at now. The land was registered last Friday and things are really going to be kicking into gear. We picked Wisdom Homes after intensive research on the internet, and finally settled on the Esperence 27 [after a bit of drama].
We've opted for the Side Outdoor Leisure. It's a bit of a tight squeeze onto the block, but the clever design of the house makes you think that the block is a lot wider once you've ventured into the heart of the house, which is the kitchen. The design also gives the side of the block some outdoor utility. Much better than having a house sitting on a block with nothing but gravel or pavers on both sides to the boundary.
The other great thing about this plan is the rear laundry, rather than a lonesome door exiting to the side as in some designs.
Also, I feel if you open a bedroom door to be confronted by the side of a built-in wardrobe, it makes the built-in look like an afterthought. In this design, the bedrooms have cleverly used the space for the wardrobe positioning, and also created study nooks.
There's also a good sized storage nook in the garage, a walk-in robe in bed 2 and a walk-in pantry.

First look at our block. The excavator is parked in our garage... I'd like to sneak back through the fence and take some more pictures of the block and the neighbourhood soon. I think it'd be a nice historical record to document it all.

The view across the almost finished road. Parts of it were still gravel.

A month or so later. The developer has turfed the nature strip. And the road is completed. The lot itself appears to have been seeded to prevent dust and erosion. I may have to mow the lawn here before long.

A view from behind the retaining wall at the rear of the lot. Hopefully it'll get back filled at some point. We  think our land extends about a meter behind this wall.. So it might make a nice garden bed or something.