What Buyers Should Remember During an Open Home

Would you spend just 20 minutes inspecting a property that is going to be your home for many years?  Some buyers do – and they live to regret it.  Don’t remember the things you should have looked for after you have left.  You should have a building inspection done during the contract stage of your purchase, but you don’t want to spend money on it until you have the basics.

 1. Check for water stains, mould, peeling paint and corrosion.

You need to know if there has been any water penetration or leaks in the house.  There might be a leaky roof, poorly sealed windows or doors, plumbing and drainage problems, or even signs of flooding in the past.  The main giveaway signs are a mouldy smell, flaky plaster, and watermarked walls or ceilings.  It sounds obvious, but make sure you look closely near the ceiling and around showers, baths and toilets and even look in the cupboard under the kitchen sink.

 2. Is the building structurally sound?

Big cracks are what you are looking for – but you should expect some hairline cracks.  Look especially around where extensions join, above and below windows and doors which are weak points where you’ll see cracking first if there is any movement.  If the house is on stumps, then check that the floor is level.  You’re looking for issues now that you can ask the homeowner or real estate agent about and then ask your building inspector to investigate later.

 3. How much storage space is there?

Storage space is a valuable but often overlooked asset.  Where will you keep your vacuum cleaner, towels, spare linen, lawnmower and boxes of junk?  Do the bedrooms all have built-in wardrobes?  If not, is there room for cupboards or shelves to be built in?  Especially in newly built houses, storage space can be scarce.

 4. Which way does the house face?

A block's positioning and the sunshine it receives are crucial to how much light and warm the home will be in winter and how cool it will stay in summer.  Everywhere in Australia, the ideal aspect tends to be north or north-east.  There are advantages to having the main living spaces, such as the lounge, dining room, kitchen and backyard, where most people spend 90 percent of their waking time at home, facing north.  To savvy buyers, a north-eastern aspect can be worth a premium of 10% on the price.

 5. Are the rooms big enough for your needs?

We’ve heard of new build home developers putting smaller furniture in rooms to make them seem bigger.  Be warned!  Assuming you won’t be buying all new furniture as soon as you move in, will your existing furniture fit?  Is the layout right for you?  Some buyers plan just where each piece of furniture will go on a floor plan before they make an offer.

 6. Is home staging influencing your logic?

Cleverly placed mirrors, strategic lighting, delicious smells, cosy fires, and fresh licks of paint are all tricks sellers use to make their homes more appealing.  It’s nice to feel you can move straight in without having to do a thing but try to remain objective.  And if their furnishing makes the space, take photos and ask what they are leaving behind.  You might be surprised what the seller will be prepared to leave.

 7. How well maintained are the windows?

The state of the external window frames is a great indicator of the state of the house – if people have invested in and looked after those, they are likely to have taken great care of the rest.  If you can easily push your finger into a wooden window frame, they are usually rotten.  Aluminium windows can often stop sliding freely: sometimes they can be refurbished with new rollers, catches and locks, but sometimes they need to be replaced.

 8. Termites?

Ask whether the area is prone to termites or other borers and double-check what you are told with the local council.  Check for termite damage wherever any wood touches the ground, such as alongside walls, pergolas and decking.  When was the last treatment done?

 9. Are there enough power points and what condition are they in?

Dodgy wiring can be dangerous and rewiring your new home can be an expensive business.  Also, check out the consumer unit to make sure that there are safety switches – often an indication of the state of the wiring but an electrician will confirm if it needs replacing.  Having enough power points is apparently a big selling point in our increasingly gadget driven world so worth taking note on the way round.  Does the property have solar panels for power – they could save you money on your electricity bills.

 10. Is the plumbing up to scratch?

Run the taps to check the water pressure.  Check that the pipes are not steel, as they corrode and will need to be replaced at some point.  How old is the hot water service (you could check the date on the side of the tank)?   Is there solar hot water?  Will the gutters and downpipes discharge the water from heavy storms?  Ask a plumber to check out the plumbing and drainage if you are concerned.

 11. If you are looking at a unit is it properly sound-proofed?

Neighbourly noise from TV, music showering, toilet flushing or scraping furniture on the floor above can be annoying.  Make sure that you can listen out without background sound whilst you are at the inspection or open house to check that poor sound insulation won’t drive you crazy once you move in.

 12. What’s the internet and mobile phone reception like?

Ensuring high-speed Internet access before your purchase can be a tricky proposition.  Make sure that you’ll be able to binge-watch the latest shows and ask to see for yourself that download speeds will support TV streaming.  Likewise, check for a decent signal on your mobile phone whilst you look around the home.

 13. What’s the area like?

Are the other homes in the street neat and tidy?

Is there suburb improving; are there lots of builders renovating in the area, is there new or planned infrastructure - roads, rail, shopping centre?

Can you walk to shops to buy milk, or do you have to drive?  What’s the Walk Score Ranking of the home?

Is it easy to get to public transport?

Are there noisy roads or train tracks nearby?

Is the property underneath a flight path?

Does a nearby school make it impossible to get out of your drive at school run time?

And most importantly, does it feel like you could make it your home?

If you do like a property, arrange another inspection for a different time of day, and scout out the local area a bit more.  If you can, take somebody with you who might be able to notice things you don’t.