Is a display home the same as the townhouse I would get?

Not necessarily. Consumer Affairs Victoria notes that buyers rely on an artist's impression, floor plan and advertising, which creates a risk that the finished home differs. Compare the display with the contract's plans and schedule of inclusions, and ask which items are upgrades.

What is the difference between a display home and a display suite?

A display home is a built, furnished example of a design. A display suite or sales suite is an office with models, plans and renderings, used when the project is not built yet. Ask which one you are visiting and whether the finishes on show are what the price includes.

What ceiling height should I expect in a new townhouse?

The National Construction Code sets a minimum of 2.4 metres in a habitable room. Many designs advertise more on some levels. Ask for the stated height for each floor, and check stairwells and bulkheads where the clear height is lower.

What energy rating should a new townhouse have?

NatHERS says the National Construction Code 2022 lifted the minimum rating for new houses and apartments from 6 to 7 stars. States adopt NCC editions on their own timetables, so ask which standard the design was approved under and request the certificate.

Should I check anything after the visit?

Compare the display against the written specifications, read the contract, and check title, levies and completion dates. Consumer Affairs Victoria advises independent legal advice before signing. Photos and measurements from the visit help when comparing against the documents, and a conveyancer or solicitor can make that comparison with you.

What should you look for when visiting a townhouse display home?

A display townhouse shows how a design can look when finished, not necessarily what a contract delivers. The checks that matter most are what the price includes, the real ceiling heights and room sizes, which way the home faces, and what sits next to it. Consumer Affairs Victoria notes that buyers of off-the-plan homes rely on an artist's impression, a floor plan and advertising material, and advises getting a firm completion date in writing before signing. The guidance below was checked in October 2026.

The written contract and its specifications are what you are buying. Consumer Affairs Victoria advises seeking independent legal advice before signing an off-the-plan contract, and the ACCC says claims in advertising must be accurate and based on reasonable grounds.

Checked October 2026. Rules, rates and prices change, so confirm anything that matters with the source linked below.

What a display can and cannot show

Projects present themselves in different ways. Some have a built and furnished display townhouse. Others have a sales suite with models, renderings and material boards, and the homes themselves are not yet built. Either way, the display is styled to look its best: furniture, lighting and finishes may be chosen for effect and may not match what is included in the price.

The ACCC says a business's claims about its products must be accurate and based on reasonable grounds, that images cannot create a false impression, and that small print cannot contradict the main message. That is a reason to compare what you see with the written inclusions and plans, not a reason to assume that anything that looks different is a breach.

Browse new townhouses

See the townhouse developments selling now, with bedrooms, prices and completion dates, city by city.

Inside the home

Ceiling heights. The National Construction Code sets a minimum of 2.4 metres in a habitable room. Ask for the stated height on each level, and notice the height at the stairs, under bulkheads and in the bedrooms.
Room sizes. Take a tape measure and the plan. Work out whether your bed, sofa and dining table fit, and where the doors swing. The ABS measures floor area to the outside of the exterior walls and excludes unenclosed verandahs and carports, so a headline area can be well above the usable internal space.
Storage. Look for linen, robes, laundry storage and space for bins and bikes. Small plans can lose these.
Stairs. Note the width and steepness, whether furniture could be carried up and whether there is a toilet and shower on each level you would use.
Kitchen and bathrooms. Check bench space, the position of appliances, and ventilation, and note which parts of the display are fixtures and which are furniture or decoration.
Windows and light. Visit at different times of day if you can. Check whether windows face a neighbouring wall or a side boundary.
Noise. Stand in the rooms that adjoin the shared wall and ask what the wall is made of. The NCC 2022 Housing Provisions set fire-resistance rules for walls between attached houses (60/60/60, or masonry at least 90 millimetres thick) and include a sound insulation part, though the Northern Territory has its own version and states vary the code.

Finishes versus inclusions

Ask for the schedule of inclusions or specification in writing, then walk through the display with it. Items worth checking item by item include:

flooring, benchtops, tapware and cabinetry
appliances, air conditioning and heating
window coverings, light fittings and fans
fencing, driveway, landscaping and the letterbox
anything shown in the display that is described as an optional upgrade

Ask which items in the display are included, which are upgrades with a price, and which are furniture or styling. A named brand or model is specific, while a phrase such as "or similar" leaves room for substitution, so ask what the contract allows.

What the display does not show

Orientation and neighbours. Your Home recommends living areas facing north in most of Australia and avoiding overshadowing from neighbouring structures. A display on another lot may face a different way from yours, so ask for the site plan and find your lot on it.
Energy rating. The National Construction Code 2022 lifted the minimum energy rating for new houses and apartments from 6 to 7 stars on the NatHERS scale, and states adopt each edition on their own timetable. Ask which rating the design has achieved and for the NatHERS certificate.
Outdoor space. In Victoria, the Townhouse and Low-Rise Code sets private open space at 25 square metres at ground level for each dwelling. Check the real courtyard on the plan against the display's styled one.
The street. Look at what faces the entry, where bins, substations and driveways sit, and how traffic and noise reach the lot.
Fees and title. Ask whether the project has a body corporate, owners corporation or community scheme, and see the guide to townhouse body corporate fees.

Questions for the sales team

Can I see the price list and the full schedule of inclusions?
Which items in this display are upgrades or furniture?
What is the expected completion date, and what does the contract say if it is late?
What is the title type and the expected levy?
Which lot is this design on, and which way does it face?
Which documents come with the contract, such as plans, specifications and the energy rating?

The guide to what to ask when buying a townhouse lists more, and buying a townhouse off the plan covers the process. A conveyancer or solicitor can read the contract against what you saw. For projects in your area, the city pages list developments, for example new townhouses in Melbourne.

Common questions

Is a display home the same as the townhouse I would get?: Not necessarily. Consumer Affairs Victoria notes that buyers rely on an artist's impression, floor plan and advertising, which creates a risk that the finished home differs. Compare the display with the contract's plans and schedule of inclusions, and ask which items are upgrades.
What is the difference between a display home and a display suite?: A display home is a built, furnished example of a design. A display suite or sales suite is an office with models, plans and renderings, used when the project is not built yet. Ask which one you are visiting and whether the finishes on show are what the price includes.
What ceiling height should I expect in a new townhouse?: The National Construction Code sets a minimum of 2.4 metres in a habitable room. Many designs advertise more on some levels. Ask for the stated height for each floor, and check stairwells and bulkheads where the clear height is lower.
What energy rating should a new townhouse have?: NatHERS says the National Construction Code 2022 lifted the minimum rating for new houses and apartments from 6 to 7 stars. States adopt NCC editions on their own timetables, so ask which standard the design was approved under and request the certificate.
Should I check anything after the visit?: Compare the display against the written specifications, read the contract, and check title, levies and completion dates. Consumer Affairs Victoria advises independent legal advice before signing. Photos and measurements from the visit help when comparing against the documents, and a conveyancer or solicitor can make that comparison with you.

Keep reading

Sources

This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Get advice that suits your situation before you buy.