
Many homebuyers dread the long, stressful process of a new build with endless decisions, construction delays and budget overruns.
Buying a display home in Perth offers an instant alternative. These move-in-ready homes come fully fitted with designer upgrades. You can literally move in straight away, skipping most of the building process and the usual headaches.
And if you’re a savvy investor, we, at PDCD Homes, even offer leaseback deals so you start earning rent immediately.
For anyone buying display homes, it’s important to weigh the convenience and quality benefits against potential drawbacks. Deciding whether to buy display home or go with custom home building is a significant choice.
Here’s a detailed look at the pros and cons to help you decide.
Pros of Buying a Display Home in Perth
Display homes often feature the latest high-end finishes and layouts, saving you the hassle of choosing every detail. Key benefits include:
1. Premium Fittings & Fixtures
Because display homes serve as a showcase, builders spare no expense on their fittings. They’re typically kitted out with premium fittings and fixtures. This means you get top-grade appliances like stainless steel ovens and smart kitchen gadgets, designer lights, stone or quartz benchtops, and luxury tapware, all already installed.
In other words, if you are buying a display home, you inherit a house filled with upgrades that would cost extra in a standard build.
2. Superior Interior and Exterior Finishes
Every wall, floor and fixture in a display home is finished to impress. Builders use premium building materials. They display villages to demonstrate their best work, so both the interior and exterior are exceptionally polished.
That means timber flooring or plush carpets underfoot, modern kitchens and bathrooms with stone tiles, and even impressive street appeal with manicured lawns and rendered facades.
Our display homes at PDCD Homes include extras like decorative mouldings, integrated home tech, and resort-style ensuites. Thus, you buy a home that already looks like a high-end magazine cover inside and out, without lifting a finger.
3. Move-In-Ready Convenience
One of the biggest perks is skipping the construction timeline. Buying a display home lets you bypass the majority of the building process.
This means you avoid months of waiting, coordinating trades, and worrying about construction delays or cost overruns. For busy families or professionals who want immediate occupancy, this move-in-ready advantage is huge. No need to hire a builder, wait on council approvals, or hold up your life for the build; it’s all done already.
4. Leaseback Rental Income Opportunities
Many display home buyers earn extra income before moving in. Builders offer leaseback arrangements, where the builder rents the home from you for a set term (mostly 1–2 years) while it’s still on display.
Thus, you could enjoy a guaranteed rental income stream from a leaseback arrangement with your builder. During this period, the builder maintains the home, and you collect rent, being paid by the builder instead of paying them. After the leaseback ends, you can continue renting it out privately or move in yourself.
So, if you want to buy display home as an investment, you immediately unlock rental returns. You even get depreciation tax benefits and may save on management costs. It’s an attractive boost to your cashflow on day one.
5. Positioned in High-Quality Neighbourhoods
Display homes are usually built in brand-new, well-planned communities or showcase estates. This means your neighbours are also brand-new houses of a similar standard.
In fact, these homes are expertly planned, beautifully presented, with well-maintained streets and established landscaping. Living among other high-quality homes has two benefits:
your day-to-day environment (parks, roads, front gardens) will be attractive and cohesive.
It can boost property values.
Thus, you’re not just buying a house but an upscale lifestyle, from the quiet streets to the friendly luxurious atmosphere.
6. Desirable Locations
In addition to quality streetscapes, display homes tend to pop up in sought-after or up-and-coming suburbs. Builders place showhouses in estates that have good growth prospects, so you’re often buying into a growth corridor.
As new schools, shops and transport links arrive, these neighbourhoods become even more desirable. For homebuyers, this means the display home’s location is carefully chosen, mostly close to amenities or future infrastructure.
7. Strong Investment Potential
All of the above points add up to a great investment case. Between leaseback income and prime location, display homes yield better returns.
These display home benefits allow you to generally earn higher than average rental returns, and still claim depreciation on the home. Because the home is already fully upgraded, you also benefit from immediate equity. You save on marketing and maintenance during leaseback and get tax deductions on all the luxury fixtures.
Discover: 13 best ideas for single-storey home designs in Perth.
Cons of Buying a Display Home in Perth
Buying a display home also has some trade-offs. Important downsides to keep in mind include:
1. Pre-Loved Condition (Wear & Warranty Issues)
The biggest trade-off is that a display home isn’t completely brand new to you. It’s already been built mostly months or years before. So, warranties have started ticking.
Additionally, because the house has been shown to the public, there might be minor wear-and-tear even though builders keep them well-maintained. This means you should inspect carefully and ask about any remaining builder or manufacturer warranties.
2. Stamp Duty and Other Fees
Another downside is extra costs. When you buy a display home, stamp duty is higher because you’re purchasing an existing home and land together.
Unlike a new-build contract where duty applies only to land, here you must pay stamp duty on the cost of the land as well as the total value of your home. This can add thousands of dollars more up-front compared to building from scratch.
You should also factor in moving costs and possibly temporary housing if your leaseback overlaps. If you decide to rent the home out after moving in, you’ll likely incur property management fees and maintenance costs down the track.
3. Limited Customisation Options
Finally, by definition a display home is already fully designed, you can’t change the floorplan or finishes before purchase.
This means limited scope for personalisation. As the house is designed to showcase the builder’s work, so the floorplan and design elements have already been chosen for you. You could renovate later, but that adds cost. In other words, buying display home means accepting someone else’s style choices. If customisation is a priority, for example, an extra bedroom here or different cabinetry colors there, a display home may feel restrictive.
Weighing Pros & Cons of Buying a Display Home
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In the end, the choice is yours. Buying display home can be a fantastic way to get a luxury, move-in-ready property quickly. Just weigh the seven benefits against the extra fees, limited customisation and the fact the home has been previously shown. Whether you’re buying a display home for yourself or as an investment, understanding these pros and cons will help you decide if a display home is right for you.
Are Display Homes Cheaper to Buy?
It’s natural to wonder if display homes offer a bargain price. In reality, display homes aren’t always cheaper upfront than a standard build.
A display home won’t necessarily be cheaper to buy because its price already includes many of the upgrades. What looks like a premium price tag is covering a finished driveway, lush landscaping, full flooring and even built-in furniture; all of which you would have to pay extra for in a new custom build.
Cost vs. Value:
If you compare a display home price to the base price of a custom home, the custom home may seem cheaper at first. But remember, with the custom build you still need to pay for things like window coverings, appliances, landscaping and more. In a display home those costs are already included.
Convenience Factor:
Display homes also save you the hassle of hiring interior designers or shopping for finishes. The builder has taken care of all the selections. When you factor in the time and additional expenses of finishing a new home yourself, many buyers find a display home offers good overall value despite a higher sticker price.
In short, display homes might seem more expensive initially, but when you account for the extras and convenience, they can be an attractive alternative.
Still confused deciding between buying a display home or a custom build?
Contact PDCD Home – Your Trusted Home Builders in Perth
We can answer your questions about buying a display home or building custom home.
PDCD Homes offers a range of display homes for sale in prime locations. Plus, we specialise in custom home building in Perth as well.
Our display homes come with premium inclusions and attractive streetscapes. And we aim to offer affordable custom homes without skimping on quality which make us among the best custom home builders in Malaga. Contact us today. We’ll help you decide if a display home is right for you and find a solution that fits your budget and lifestyle.
Browse our single-storey home designs or double-storey home designs to find a home you can move into sooner.