A display home is a fully furnished, professionally styled home that a builder opens to the public, so you can see their designs and workmanship in person.
In Australia, display homes are also called show homes or exhibition homes, and they’re often grouped together in a display village.
This guide explains how display homes work, what to expect, and what to check when you visit.
What exactly are Display Homes?
A display home is a demonstration of the kind of home a builder can build for you. It’s usually one of the builder’s designs, built to a high standard and styled with furniture, décor and landscaping.
Many are built together in a display village, where several builders show their designs in one place, such as the Menangle Park Display Village.
Visiting one is one of the best ways to shop for a home, whether you’re building to live in or as an investment.
How does it work?
- The builder secures a block (in a display village, the developer selects the builders who take part), designs and builds the home, then furnishes and styles it.
- After that, the Display is made open to the public. Potential homebuyers can then visit, feel the vibe and see if it’s something that appeals to them.
- If it’s a match, you can talk to the builder about building it. Typically you’ll build a version of the display, adjusted to suit your block, budget and preferences.
You can construct on your own land, or choose a House and Land package from the builder. Some builders also sell their display homes once the display period ends. See our complete guide to buying a display home.
Reasons to visit a Display Home
- See the quality: check the workmanship, joinery, finishes and natural light, which photos can’t show.
- Get ideas: see layouts, colours and inclusions in person, so you’re not starting from zero.
- Feel the scale: room sizes, ceiling heights and flow are easier to judge when you walk through.
- Compare builders: in a display village, you can compare several designs side by side.
- Know what’s possible: not every feature on display will be in your final home, but you’ll see how the builder thinks and executes.
- Meet the team: staff on site can answer your questions.
- Know what you’re seeing: display homes are furnished and styled to show the space at its best. Furniture, TVs and artwork aren’t normally part of the price, and many displays include upgrades beyond the standard inclusions, so ask which features are standard.
Things to do when visiting a Display Home
Here is a short checklist, so you know what to look for:
- Explore: walk around and sit down, and picture your family’s daily routine in the space.
- Ask questions: our staff are on site to show you around. Useful questions include which features are standard and which are upgrades, what block size the design needs, what the total price would be on your block, and what site costs and extras are excluded.
- Test flow and layout: every layout is planned around how you live, and walking through lets you test your assumptions.
- Look past the styling: furniture, lighting and landscaping are chosen to impress, so check room sizes and storage rather than the styling.
- Take notes and photos so you can compare homes afterwards.
Visit the Arise at Whitlam Display Village
ABM Homes is one of the builders approved by the Suburban Land Agency to build in the Whitlam Display Village, where our Arise display home has been open since the village opened in November 2022.
Located in scenic Whitlam Display Village, the Arise is built for families, and can accommodate a variety of block sizes.
Our designs include both single and double storey options, with enough space for a growing family or a great investment.
Get in touch with one of our experts today, so we can help you with a modern, sustainable and future-proof home.
For more information, you can visit us us or email us. We’ll be with you ASAP!