Villa Units…. what are they?

In property, the term ‘villa’ is not completely unique, but it is confused. British, American and Europeans are often perplexed by our Melburnian reference to something that is broadly understood by them as a flat or a unit. 

And their association with the word villa often conjures up a picture of a mediterranean oasis with grand architecture and wealthy visitors.

A typical Melbourne block of villa units                               European inspired ‘Getty Villa’ 

In our local real estate circles, a villa unit is part of a small, (mostly single level), brick veneer complex dated between 1960-2000, generally has some shared land (eg. driveway at a minimum, and possibly some of the courtyard(s), and each unit sits on a subdivided allotment that belongs solely to the owner of the unit. 

In other words, a villa unit will have an Owner’s Corporation just like an apartment does, but the owner’s will own their own land.

Villa units are very popular in Melbourne for a few reasons;

• they are usually particularly well located, with close proximity to public transport, shops and amenity
• they usually have a small fenced outdoor area for inhabitants to enjoy some sunshine and garden
• they enable a buyer to live in a smaller version of a house in a great area at a lesser price tag than a house
• they rent particularly well for investors
• they are usually constructed well and offer exciting opportunity to upgrade without serious structural works, and
• they appeal to a very broad market. From down-sizers to elderly, singles, couples and first home buyers, and investors-alike, villa units generally have a consistently strong demand.

So what makes a villa unit a great unit? 

Like any dwelling type, villa units aren’t all the same. We have elements we vehemently rule out and avoid, and we have high-scoring elements we will favour some villa options over others.

Some of the things we look out for and avoid include:

• poor locations (main roads, properties adjacent to commercial sites)
• subsidence cracks and structural issues
• poorly maintained blocks with serious expense issues coming up
• disharmonious blocks (ie. any residents causing drama and impacting the serenity for others)
• bedrooms and lounges on full view to passer’s by and other residents walking down drives or walkways
• villas with no outdoor area
• tiny bedrooms that are unsuitable for a double bed

While we have a long wish-list of elements we look for, not many villas offer them all in combination. Sometimes a clever work-around with double blinds on a drive-facing bedroom is required. It is rare to find a villa with complete privacy on offer from every single living/bedroom window.

Yesterday Amy and I bid at the same time in two different suburbs. The thing that our assignments had in common was interesting.

Both clients were bidding on what we’d consider to be a near-perfect villa unit.

This superbly presented and recently rendered unit in a block of just 5 in arguably one of Newport’s best streets stole my heart on first inspection. Offering a generous living area that spilled from the kitchen, featuring a private courtyard at the rear and looking out into leafy garden outlook from each bedroom window, it scored very highly. 

Meanwhile, Amy’s tactical auction bidding and negotiation secured this beautifully proportioned, later-era villa in a block of just four in Coburg, south of Bell St.   

Not a single room overlooked common area walkways or driveway. The bedrooms and living looked into the private wrap-around courtyard.

The importance of gauging the varying elements that appeal to owners and tenants can’t be overlooked. A well maintained villa unit with great orientation, a suitable layout and private outlook is an ever-green product in Melbourne property.