Before buying a residential property, it is a must to do a personal inspection. This is important so you would know the real condition of the property, areas that need repair, potential problems and if it is indeed worth your money.
Potential buyers should take a step further when attending an open house and personally check the details of the different parts of the property. Spend as much time as possible viewing the home to give you a better idea and feel of its atmosphere. One needs to be thorough when doing those maintenance checks to ensure you are buying your dream home.
Also, it is a good idea to make a list of the areas of the house you feel are important to you so you won’t forget to check them when you’re already in the property. Bring a notebook and write down specific features. If you want to take photos, ask first the permission of the real estate agent or the owner, if available.
Here are vital areas worth checking. Make sure to write down your observations as you go around the house to serve as your guide when making a decision.
Ceilings
When you look up at the ceilings, they need to be fixed securely into place with no bloated or parachute appearance. To double check this part, you can shine a torch across the ceilings. This technique will let you see defects in the sheets, if any.
Walls
Carefully look at the walls, both internal and external. Check for any large cracks and if you see cracks larger than 2.0 mm in width, they need to be checked by a building inspector.
Do not forget to also check the internal wall plastering for fine cracks. These hairline cracks are often due to the incorrect application of wall plastering when the house was built. When you see these cracks in one area, they are most likely in other parts of the house too. And take note that they can get loose notably when installing wall decors including paintings.
Roof
When it comes to the roof, there are several sections you need to take a deeper look at.
First, check that the rooflines are straight with no deflections. Second, the roof gutters should not be corroded and this can only be determined if you check the top side. Thirdly, check that the downpipes from the roof discharge into a stormwater soak well and not just onto the ground. Determine if flooding or excess water flow is a problem as this indicates the soak wells may need cleaning or are not properly sized.
If you have still doubts after inspecting your desired property, get a professional building inspector to help you. This person will issue a report to you on the real condition of the property specifying problems and areas that need to be fixed.
You can also get the assistance of a buyers advocate who is more knowledgeable about the process of buying a property and inspecting it thoroughly for your benefit. Contact me if you’re planning to purchase in the Melbourne property market.
By Wendy Chamberlain
Copyright 2015 | All Rights Reserved
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With a passion for all things real estate spanning 18 years, Wendy loves that her role as a
