We all knew the announcement that the first lot of flood-affected houses purchased through the NSW Reconstruction Authority's Resilient Homes Program (RHP) would be put up for sale was coming. That announcement was made today.

Anyone can purchase and relocate the 29 homes through an Expression of Interest (EOI), although priority will be given to people impacted by the 2022 big flood.

There is a range of homes on offer in different states of repair, from charming old timber homes with polished floor boards and painted walls to those needing more work to bring them back to their former glory.

Many homes feature front verandas, high ceilings, and traditional features. From quaint to grand, this first release offers homes in a variety of sizes and styles.

In Lismore, 440 house buybacks have been completed, with another 87 accepted. So, the 29 homes are the first of what is expected to be hundreds to be put on the market to be sold and relocated.

Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin explained that each house has to be assessed for safety.

"Each house that's been bought back, if it's not one of the ones to be relocated, people taking it with them, a gifted one, then it's assessed for safety from asbestos, all sorts of things. Once it goes through that assessment that has been hazmat assessed too, then it can deemed to go on the market. So, it just takes a while to work through that process. But, it should be hundreds and hundreds."

"Not being a hazmat expert myself," Ms Saffin laughs, "What I look and see, and what I hear, I think that there'll be that many, and that will be great to have them sold for people to live in them. Some could go eventually, when the land's developed, to East Lismore. I know some people in Nimbin who want some, and I've had a lot of people over the year or so telling me they're interested and I just send them all through to the RA."

Under the NSW Government's 'Steps in the EOI process', it says, "Relocation of the home must be undertaken by the buyer within 12 months of purchase as per the conditions of the contract."

With the Mt Pleasant Estate in Goonellanbah the only site ready for house relocations, and four have already been moved with no more to be accepted, there are no other Resilient Lands Program (RLP) sites available. The likelihood of anything being ready for house relocations within 12 months, such as North Lismore, is highly unlikely as the infrastructure has to be built. The MOU that was signed with SCU for the East Lismore site has not progressed to a contract, so that is more than 12 months away.

That leaves people with the only option to purchase a block of land on the open market to relocate their historic old Lismore home.

However, Ms Saffin said she encourages people to negotiate with the NSWRA about their individual circumstances if they have intentions of purchasing an RLP block of land. It may not be a cut-and-dry decision.

According to the website, the EOI submissions will be assessed by an evaluation panel. This process will be overseen by an Independent Probity Advisor.

All eligible EOIs will be assessed against the following weighted criteria: buyer type (40% weighting), buyer readiness (40%) and financial offer (20%). The highest-ranked EOI submission for each home will be invited to enter contract negotiations with RA to purchase the home.

The RA has appointed local real estate agent PRD Northern Rivers to market and manage the sale of the homes in the Northern Rivers.

The EOI opens today, 22 December 2024. The homes will be displayed on the PRD Northern Rivers website and will be open for inspection prior to the EOI closing on 14 February 2025. For more information, go to the RA’s website at www.nsw.gov.au/relocatable-homes-eoi or PRD Northern Rivers at www.prd.com.au/northernrivers/relocation-homes.  

Ms Saffin said, "I'm happy that it's happened before Christmas because a lot of people say, what's going to happen with the houses on the ground? They want to see movement for all sorts of reasons, and there is movement at the station (laughs) for the word has got around."

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said, “Making sure that people have access to homes that are safely located away from floodplains is an important part of future-proofing our communities in areas like the Northern Rivers.

“This initiative is an inventive way of keeping the homes within the region for future generations to enjoy.

“Relocating and reusing these homes and giving them a new lease on life is something this community wants to see happen.”

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said, “This important work in the Northern Rivers is being undertaken to preserve the sense of community as well as provide better protection from future floods. 

“Through this plan, we are helping to retain and conserve older character-filled buildings as well as homes which hold significance to the community, something so clearly articulated to us by locals who love the sense of history.

“By relocating these houses away from floodplains, we are saving a home while also moving it to a safer area, with those impacted by the 2022 floods prioritised under the EOI process.”