3 Tips for Your Saturday Inspection

With 2019 rolling in, you may be thinking about purchasing a new home this year. Whether it be an investment property, a bigger home for a growing family, your first place, or a downsize – it is the time to buy!

To ensure you make the right decision when purchasing property, we have three areas for you to think about before you head into the Saturday inspections.

1. Problem Spots

When you inspect a house, look to see if:

• The property slopes downhill, as this may cause issues with drainage in heavy rain.
• All items are in working order, like ceiling fans and lights. The Building Inspection Report will also list this.
• The property is well ventilated to avoid mould.
• The property looks and feels structurally sound.
• There is termite damage on skirting boards. This will also be picked up in a Pest Inspection Report.
• There are large trees on the property or surrounding the property. This can be expensive if you want or need to remove them down the track.
• The property is securely fenced if you have a pet.
• There is rising damp in wet areas like the bathroom and laundry, because this could lead to expensive problems.

2. Judge a Book by its Cover

As much as the structural integrity of a home is important, the aesthetics of a place are also a significant aspect when deciding to purchase a property. Adding your own personal flair when decorating a house can transform what a place looks like, but there are some aesthetic elements to look out for when conducting an inspection. Spend some time studying the blueprint of the house to assess if you like the layout. Renovating can be costly and time-consuming, so it is very valuable if you already like the blueprint. Take note of how the house is positioned on the property, and how that impacts natural light. Fancy wallpaper or a velvet couch won’t change a dark and dingy place, so observe how the house lets in light. Stop and consider the street appeal of the property as well.

3. Big Picture

When walking around a home you often imagine how your life will work in the space. It is also necessary to think how your life will function in the location. Depending on how necessary it is for your lifestyle, look out to see how close public transport is. Convenient public transport can be a huge bonus to a property! Also look to see how close schools, shops and parks are to the property. When inspecting the house, try to suss out what the neighbourhood is like – if there are other kids to play with, if there is a loud dog, and if the neighbours seem friendly. These lifestyle factors can greatly increase the experience of a property.

After your inspection this weekend, contact Frank Law to help make your property dreams a reality!

Photo by Tom Rumble on Unsplash