Open For Inspection Guide
Posted by Chloe Hardie - 25 November 2021
Posted by Chloe Hardie - 25 November 2021
House hunters take note: when it comes to inspecting properties, you need to be prepared. You may only have 30 minutes to inspect a property, and you’ll want to make sure you spend those precious minutes wisely.
In reality, some people may only be able to inspect a home once or twice before deciding whether they want to make the big (and exciting) decision to purchase it, and the last thing you want is an unexpected surprise once you have the keys in hand and are seeing the home empty, ready for you to move in.
To ensure you are making the most of your next open for inspection, we have put together a list of tips on how to best take advantage of that valuable house hunting time.
Real estate photos may not capture everything you need to see and know about a property. To make sure you are fully across all areas of the property that you may not see in the listing photos, we highly recommend you take your own photos from all different angles of the property. Notice things that may need replacing or repairs? Take photos. Want to know the layout of wardrobes to check there is enough storage for your things? Take photos. Have rooms you think could do with a face lift? Take photos. It is super simple and super beneficial. You can always delete the photos later, but you don’t have access to the property whenever you want, so it is best to have the photos you can access at any time.
Things in a property can be changed and updated. The property may not be to your exact taste, but if there are key elements such as location, number of bedrooms, land size etc. that all tick boxes, things like fixtures, paint colour and flooring are all things you can update.
Opens typically run for 30 minutes, so use those 30 minutes wisely. You want to arrive on time so you can soak up as much information as you can during an open. You don’t want to rush and disadvantage yourself.
Keep your eyes peeled for things you may not immediately notice or see. Are the window frames rotting? Are there load bearing walls that couldn’t be updated or removed? Are there accessible power points in different areas of each room? Is there heating and cooling? Notice any rust or water marks that could be due to plumbing leakage? While styling and cover some of these areas, it is important to take note of such things as you may need to be prepared to repair or renovate before moving in.
Be wary of music and candles.
While candles and music can act as great mood setters, they can also be used to mask smells and sounds. You can raise the question with the realtor if you have any concerns, but it is always good to know, just in case.
You won’t know everything you want to know about a property unless you ask. You may want to write down burning questions you want to ask the agent at the conclusion of inspecting the property, or you could get in touch with the agent prior to or after the inspection. These could include questions about the property, the conditions regarding settlement, if you’re allowed to develop/rebuild, whether the vendor would be open to a private sale, or if the vendor has had any issues with neighbours.
Your inspection shouldn’t stop at the house. Take note of the surrounding properties and streets.
Walk up and down the street before or after the inspection to get an idea of the area, your neighbours, and the noise. Notice any new construction happening? How far away from public transport, shops and food spots are you? Are there any traffic concerns?
Simply observing the surrounding area of the property can give you some great insights you don’t get by inspecting the property only.
If after you’ve inspected the property you feel like you’re onto a winner, provide the agent your contact details and request the Section 32. You want to be kept informed on what is happening with the property and keep an open line of communication between the agent and yourself. Additionally, by requesting that Section 32 you are giving yourself time to look over the contract before you start negotiating and making offers. You don’t want to miss out on your dream home because you hesitated, as some properties can get snapped up after the first open!
