The Process
A detailed walkthrough of every step — from the moment you submit your free assessment through to your lump-sum payment and beyond. We manage the complexity. You make the key decisions.
What We Do
The five-step process covers assessment, your offer, the lease and payment, design and construction, and ongoing management. You're paid a lump sum once the 99-year lease is signed — Buy My Backyard then funds and manages everything that follows. You make the key decisions; we carry the cost and the work.
Submit your details through the assessment form on our website. We'll review your property — lot size, backyard configuration, council zone, setback requirements, and local planning rules — and advise you on whether your property qualifies for the Buy My Backyard programme.
The assessment is completely free. There is no fee at this stage, no obligation to proceed, and no pressure to make any decision. We'll contact you within 48 hours of receiving your submission with a clear recommendation.
If your property qualifies, we confirm the portion of your backyard we would lease and show you an initial concept of where the secondary dwelling would sit. We then tell you what we'll pay you for a 99-year lease over that portion.
What we can pay depends on your property — lot size, location, council rules and the land involved — so we don't quote figures before the assessment. There is no obligation to accept, and no pressure to decide.
| Offer basis | Your specific property, assessed individually |
| What it covers | A 99-year lease over an agreed portion of your backyard |
| How you're paid | One-off lump sum, paid up front — not ongoing payments |
| Your costs | None — no assessment, approval or build cost |
| Your involvement | Review the offer and decide whether to proceed |
If you accept, a 99-year land lease is formally prepared, reviewed by all parties, and executed — before any design or construction begins. The lease documents the specific portion of land being leased, the term, the lump-sum payment, the rights and obligations of both parties, and any conditions applying to the land and dwelling. Once it is executed, your lump sum is paid to you.
You are strongly encouraged to have the lease reviewed by your own independent solicitor before signing. We will provide you with a draft for review well in advance of execution.
| Lease term | Up to 99 years — as agreed between parties |
| Payment | One-off lump sum, paid to you up front — yours outright |
| Your title | Unchanged — you keep title to your whole property; the dwelling is built, owned and managed by us for the lease term |
| Registered | The lease is registered over the agreed portion only |
| Legal advice | Independent legal review strongly recommended and encouraged |
With the lease in place, Buy My Backyard designs the secondary dwelling, prepares and lodges the required council approval — a Development Application (DA), a Complying Development Certificate (CDC), or another state-specific pathway — and manages the full construction through our network of licensed builders and trades. Many properties qualify for the faster CDC pathway.
We pay for the design, approvals and construction in full. You do not need to source a builder, manage contractors, or coordinate inspections. You'll receive regular progress updates and will be consulted on any key decisions that affect your property.
| Approval type | DA (Development Application) or CDC — determined by property zone |
| Typical CDC timeline | 2–6 weeks from lodgement |
| Typical DA timeline | 8–16 weeks — varies by council |
| Who pays | Buy My Backyard — design, approvals and construction |
| Your involvement | Progress updates and input on decisions affecting your property |
Once the dwelling is complete, we find the tenants and manage it for the full lease term. Leasing, maintenance, repairs and vacancies are all our responsibility. You are not a landlord, and there is nothing for you to manage.
You keep your home, your title and the lump sum you were paid. The money was paid once, up front, and is yours outright — there are no ongoing payments in either direction.
The free assessment is the first step. No cost, no commitment — just a clear answer on whether your property qualifies.
Get my free assessment →Timeline
Every property and council is different — but this is a representative timeline for a standard metro property on the complying development pathway.
Eligibility
Many properties that homeowners assume won't qualify actually do. The free assessment is the definitive answer for your specific property — but here are the general markers that suggest a property is suitable.
We assess council requirements upfront and only proceed where approval is achievable. Some zones have a complying development pathway that bypasses the full DA process. We identify this at assessment.
A land lease does not require a change to your mortgage in the same way a subdivision sale would, but your lender's consent may be required. We recommend disclosing the arrangement to your lender, and we can assist with this process.
No. Buy My Backyard pays for the design, council approvals and construction in full. You pay nothing at any stage — we pay you a lump sum for the lease.
If you already have a secondary dwelling on your property, we may be able to make an offer to lease that portion for a lump sum. Submit an assessment and note this in your enquiry.