“Latin for ‘Let the buyer beware’, caveat emptor is the general rule of law for the sale of real estate in Australia. A vendor doesn’t have to disclose her property’s faults it’s your responsibility to know exactly what you’re buying.”
Always inspect yourself, but also get a formal report done by specialists. Do not cheap out on formal inspections. They can score you a list of bargaining chips in negotiations and prevent unexpected costs later on.
Picking an Inspector
- Always hire an inspector that allows for you to accompany them during the inspection. You’ll pick up on a few valuable things for the future.
- Try ask for inspection reports on comparable properties to see how detailed their inspections are.
Building Inspection
Checklist:
- Structural integrity
- Doorways, walls, cracks, windows, leaks, misalignements, slanted floors
- Electrical wiring
- Plumbing
- Insulation
- Asbestos
- Sub-floor ventilation
- Heating and air conditioning
- Roofing quality
- Paintwork
- Illegal additions or zoning violations
- Landscaping, irrigation, drainage, excess groundwater.
- Moisture intrusion (rising damp), musty odours (indicating mould)
- Subsidence, seismic risk, flood risk, bushfire risk, other natural disasters.
Pest Inspection
- Termites.
- Dry rot fungus.