Buyer demand this spring season is incredibly high with thousands of Australians currently devoting every one of their Saturdays to looking for a new home.
It’s not uncommon for motivated buyers to inspect 10 or 15 properties a day. Depending on your mindset, this can be fun and exciting or a real chore. Either way, taking in that much information in just one day is also going to be mentally exhausting. You’ll get home after several hours scouring the marketplace and find it difficult to remember which one had the great backyard and which one had the rising damp.
At most inspections, agents will hand you a brochure to take away with you. These are very handy especially as they’ll contain photos of the property to jog your memory later. But in terms of detail, they only provide a general overview, so it’s important to take a notebook and assess each property with your own checklist.
Every property is different but they all have common elements for you to compare, such as aspect and land size.
The basics
1. Full address
2. Agency name
3. Individual agent’s name and contact number
4. Asking price
5. Number of bedrooms, bathrooms, parking spaces
The details
1. Does the property fit your lifestyle? If you have children, consider whether parks are nearby. If you catch public transport to work, find out where the nearest bus stop or train station is.
2. Is the property in a convenient location? It’s desirable to be close to shops and cafes but not so close that you are impacted by noise and pollution.
3. When assessing views, sit down. Views look great from windows but that’s not where you’ll be spending most of your time if you buy the home. So sit down in the dining or lounge areas and lie on the bed to get a realistic perspective.
4. Does the property have a flowing, workable layout? A good layout creates easy living, convenience and privacy. For example, bathrooms should ideally be situated close to bedrooms.
5. Is there enough room for your family and possessions?
6. Is there potential to extend or reconfigure the layout?
7. What is the general condition of the interior and exterior?
8. Are any repairs or renovations necessary – pay careful attention to the kitchen and bathroom as these are the most expensive rooms to upgrade.
9. Does the home admit enough natural light? Be aware it is customary to turn all the lights on for inspections and to time the inspection when the home is at its lightest and brightest.
10. What is the aspect? Take a compass with you – a north-east or north-facing aspect is ideal particularly in relation to gardens, balconies and living areas.
11. What fittings are included?
12. If you’re buying a fixer-upper, note down the dimensions of the rooms. You’ll then be able to estimate the amount and cost of materials (floor coverings, paint, etc.) you’ll need to buy.
13. What do you really like about the property?
14. What do you really dislike about the property?
Identifying defects
Before you exchange contracts, I strongly recommend you get a professional building and pest inspection done. However, during inspections, you should look out for any signs of obvious defects. If you identify any major problems, it may be best to give that property a miss. At the very least, you’ll save yourself the cost of a building report.
1. Check the power board in the electricity box. If the board is in original condition, it could indicate that the home is due for rewiring.
2. Sagging floors (check near fireplaces) or moving floorboards can indicate problems with the stumps or bearers.
3. Are the walls flat, straight and free of cracks? If not, the foundations may be shifting.
4. Dark stains around the skirting boards can indicate rising damp (this isn’t necessarily a deal breaker).
5. Turn on a tap and check the water pressure (hot and cold). If it’s weak, there may be problems with the plumbing.
6. Is the roofline sagging? The trusses or the entire roof may need replacing.
7. Stains on the ceilings or rafters indicate there’s a leak in the roof.
8. Is the underfloor area well-ventilated and free of signs of termites?
9. Are the foundations free of cracks? Cracked foundations can lead to uneven floors and cracks in walls.
10. Is recent painting covering up a few defects?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions – the agent is there to help you. It’s better to feel silly asking lots of questions than be saddled with a home with a whole lot of problems.
Also, keep an ear out for what other buyers are saying about the property at the inspection. They may have seen something you’ve missed.