Buying land on which to build your home can be an involved process, so it is worth making sure you are armed with the right information.

Here is a simple jargon busting guide to help you navigate your way through the buying process.

Auction - The public sale of property with ownership going to the highest bidder, subject to a reserve price being reached.

Boundary - A "fence", real or on paper only, which separates two adjoining properties

Building guidelines - The standards formulated by local councils/land developers to control the quality of buildings or to promote a certain architectural look in an estate.

Building Licence - Before building, you or your builder must submit your plans to the local council for assessment and approval. This also applies to plans for a pergola, swimming pool, retaining walls etc. It is best to check with your local council for its requirements. It is illegal to start building without a licence, which will usually be valid for 12 months.

Normally, you only need to become involved in gaining a building licence for a house if you are an owner-builder. If you are using a registered builder, they should organise the licence.

Conveyancing - Conveyancing is the legal search and checking of titles on land. Conveyancing also includes the transfer of and registration of ownership details. Although you are able to do it yourself, it is advisable to seek professional help from a settlement agent or a solicitor.

Covenant - The terms and conditions that specify the usage of a block of land or the buildings on it.

Easement - An easement is a right of way over property. When purchasing land it is important to check there are no restrictions such as an easement that may hamper the land use. Checks for easements are usually carried out in the conveyancing.

Future Enhancements - When discussing with your builder/architect/draftsman the requirements of your new home, be sure to account for the future enhancements such as a garage, pergola or a swimming pool to see how they will fit in with the plans being drawn up.

HIA GreenSmart - A sustainable development initiative of the Housing Industry Association aimed at promoting practices in the land development and building sectors that lessen the impact of development on the environment.

Pre-release - Pre-release land is the ability to purchase land before the completion of civil works (provision of roads, power, etc) and before titles for the lots have been issued by the planning authorities. This is sometimes done to meet strong demand. Normally a deposit is paid, with settlement of the full amount due once construction is completed and titles have been issued. Purchasers need to check this is reflected in the sales offer they sign.

Subdivision - A housing development that is created by dividing a tract of land into individual lots for sale or lease

Sustainability - Development that safeguards the quality of life for future generations. There are moves across the development industry to introduce measures, such as passive solar orientation of lots, energy efficient building guidelines and water recycling, which support this goal.

Zone - Land is zoned, which means it is suitable for certain developments. Different zones include:

• Residential - an area of primarily private residence
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• Industrial - an area set aside for commercial and heavy/light industrial development
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• Mixed use - the ability to accommodate different activities in the one building. For example, many LandCorp estates feature streets where it is possible to have non-intrusive commercial activities such as a doctor's or architect's office or an art gallery on the ground floor, with a residence above.
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