Your house should be your castle – not a dingy , dark dungeon. Designing to let as much sunlight in as possible will make sure that your new build is a comfortable and warm environment when you finally move in. That's not to mention the fact that it will also be a drier and healthier environment to live in. 

There are a few tricks to designing a sunny home that can be easy to execute, without putting too much strain on your construction loan. We've run through the basics to help make sure you build a sunny home, not a dark and cold lair. 

Design according to your location

When aiming to build a sunny and comfortable home you should think about the climate you live in and design accordingly. These considerations will include the following:

• Are you in an area that's cold in the winter? If so you'll want to include a large north facing wall in your design, as this is the facade that will enjoy the most sun. Include large windows on this wall if possible, and ensure that most of your active spaces like your kitchen and living room sit along it. 
• Is your home located in a tropical or subtropical area like Cairns? You'll want to use reflective insulation, minimise north facing walls, and install shading to keep your home as cool as possible. You'll still want to let sun into your home however, so including windows with shades on the east side of your home is a good idea. 
• Windows on the southern side of your home should be kept relatively small to reduce heat loss, as they will receive minimal sunlight. 

Installations that can let more sun in

Smartly placed windows are key to making the most of the sunlight. Here are a few interesting varieties that you should consider: 

• Skylights: Including a skylight in your home is a brilliant way to get sunlight into areas away from the building's exterior. 
• Floor to ceiling sliding doors: During winter these can remain closed to let in sunlight and trap in warmth. During summer leave them open for great indoor-outdoor flow. 
• Clerestory windows: If your home has to be built facing south for whatever reason these windows can protrude from the roof, offering both an interesting design feature, and a way to trap sun from the north. 

These additions will all add to the character of your home and let sunlight in, without maxing out your construction loan. 

Choosing the site

Narrow sites on the other hand may be ideal in more tropical climates, as it will be easier to maximise cooling breezes and minimise the sun's heating effects.

Consider the shape and orientation of the site when buying land, and consider if it can accommodate a large north facing wall. When designing and building a comfortable home, you'll want to put most active spaces near that north wall to ensure maximum living comfort during the cold months. 

Get in touch with Mortgageport's experienced team of brokers today and we can help get your dreams of building a beautifully designed and comfortable home of the ground. 

With all of the media attention focusing on Australia's out of control property prices it's understandable that young first home buyers may feel priced out of the market. However, we happen to know that with the right planning, strategy and advice it's possible to buy property in Australia at 25. Here's how.

Plan young

Buying a home is like writing an essay – you're not going to get far if you don't have a plan.

A Member's Bank study revealed that the savings habits of Australians leave something to be desired in this regard – 59 per cent did not habitually set a budget and 41 per cent did not regularly stick to it.

Save young, plan young, buy young.

Moneysmart data also reveals that 75 per cent of confident savers have a detailed plan. Be a part of this group and break your savings goals down into weekly, monthly and yearly instalments. That way you wont be aiming at something far off on the horizon, but for something more imminent and motivating.

Export your online bank statements into a spreadsheet, or use a savings planning app to do so. That way you can understand what you overspend on, set limits and stick to them to achieve your goals of investing in your twenties. 

Save young

The same Moneysmart report shows that 78 per cent of confident savers know how much money is needed to reach their goals. Do as much research as possible on how much your home will cost, and how much it is likely to cost in the future – use resources like CoreLogic RP Data, Residex suburb reports and even advice from a buyers' agent.

Let's say for example you're looking to buy a one bedroom apartment in Melbourne for $400,000. Most data shows prices going up – but forecasts such as QBE's Housing Outlook has Melbourne unit prices decreasing by 9 per cent by 2019.

In this instance it would be prudent to save 20 per cent of $400,000 so that you have a buffer if prices forecasts weren't correct. If you're earning the average income of all workers according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics ($60,320), you save 20 per cent of your income and apply for the first homeowners grant you'll be close to your deposit goal after just over 5 years. Save with a partner and you could be in a house within 3 years!

Alternatively talk to a mortgage broker about securing a loan with a low deposit and lender's mortgage insurance and you could be buying property even younger.

Buy young

Apply for the first homeowners grant early. Depending on where you live, it could shave as much as $10,000 to $20,000 off your deposit. Next, get help. Do your research and find an area and type of property that you want to buy then consider enlisting a buyers' agent to help you find a property that fits your needs.

You could be enjoying life in your first home faster than you might think.

Atthis stage it's time to get your finances in order. A recent First Home Buyers Australia survey found that 38 per cent of first home buyers believed mortgage brokers were the most helpful service when purchasing property. We at Mortgageport know that we provide an incredibly useful service to you, finding you the most suitable loan products and a better deal. We can help make investing in your twenties as easy as possible.

Get in touch today for expert advice on financing your first home – it's never too early.