Five Things to Consider at Quick Private Inspections
With private inspections being conducted across Victoria - you may be wondering how you can make the most of your time at a property - especially given the restricted inspection window.
Under current restrictions, Victorians can only attend private, appointment-only inspections that go for no more than 15 minutes and are less than 25kms from their homes.
Although there are plenty of digital options to get to know a property from afar, an open for inspection is a valuable step in the buyers' journey. Not only does walking through the house give a great sense of livability, the open for inspection is also an opportunity to address all the functional and physical considerations of a property and help you to decide whether a property is worth your investment.
To ensure you are prepared for a quick visit when it comes to inspection day, McNeill Real Estate, Janet McNeill shares her five top things to consider at your next open for inspection.
Building defects
Although it’s best to leave building and pest inspections up to the experts, it is important to pay attention and look out for any obvious defects during your inspection.
It can be tempting to take in home styling and lifestyle alone, but the best thing you can do is look beyond the aesthetics to the structural quality. Be sure to look out for any large cracks in brickwork, sagging ceilings, damage to flooring, roof condition or any presentation of mould or bad smells.
“Most properties will have building and condition reports as well as pest inspections prepared by a qualified professional but if they don’t, make sure that you arrange an assessment of the property yourself, or make it a condition of your purchase when you make your offer. In the end, it’s a small price to pay for peace of mind,” adds Janet.
Surfaces and finishes
As well as any building defects, consider the surfaces and finished of the property. The age, quality, and thickness of household materials are difficult to ascertain without being physically onsite.
If there are wooden floorboards, walk through the house to understand where there are creaks or floorboards rising. Thoroughly inspect the kitchen benches, bathroom tiling, and taps as well to check their condition and whether any upgrades may be required after purchasing. It is also wise to look at the skirting outside of the base of the shower or bath, to see if there may be damage to walls or floors from water leakage. Wet areas are important, as they can hide additional work. Your building inspector will be able to investigate further.
It is also a good idea to understand how thick the windows are and if they rattle or let wind in. If you’re near a busy road, consider whether the windows are double glazed to block out external noise.
“While you shouldn’t turn down your dream home on the basis of a creaky floorboard, it’s important to understand what additional upgrade costs may be required, on top of the sales price of the home, and how that fits into your budget” says Janet.
Natural light
As well as the layout of a property, having natural light comes with lots of benefits and is often a feature that many homebuyers forget to consider.
When visiting the property, notice which way the property is facing and how windows are positioned to help or hinder lighting effects. If the light source at a particular time is of importance to you – say a bedroom with morning light – consider scheduling your appointment to coincide with that period.
Most newer homes are now built with orientation in mind and will often be built in a way that assists in efficient lighting, heating and cooling throughout the year.
“The right natural lighting can assist in lowering power bills as well as being proven to help in mental wellbeing of the occupants,” says Janet.
Parking
Whether you drive a car, a motorcycle or opt to use public transport, a covered car space can be an advantageous addition when looking for a property. Ensure that the height of the roof is sufficient for your vehicle to fit. Particularly if you have a larger SUV with a roof rack, or want to store a boat or caravan under cover.
Location
As it is said again and again ‘location, location, location’, your properties location within a suburb can mean the world of difference when it comes to day-to-day living.
“You may have done hours of research and know the suburb features and lifestyle like the back of your hand, but it’s only when after you move in that you notice your ‘dream home’ has a barking dog next door or the traffic along your road is loud,” says Janet.
When visiting the property, get to know the street that the property is on and notice whether there are any main roads, developments or commercial areas that may affect both the livability of the property and potential resale in the future. Visit the area at different times of the day and days of the week, to identify whether the neighborhood suits your lifestyle.
As a last piece of advice for someone attending private inspections, Janet adds, ‘One of the silver linings of this inspection arrangement is securing an uninterrupted 15-minute window with the real estate agent on site. You can ask many more questions than during an open for inspection, and get a better feel for the home.'
'While you should use the time in the property to give the home a thorough inspection, be sure to also strike up a relationship with the agent and grab their contact details before you leave the property. In case you forget to ask a question during the inspection, write it down in your phone later and send it in an email to the agent, to clarify after the visit.’
For more information on getting ready to buy, reach out to one of our McNeill Real Estate agents today.
