HOW DO YOU SPOT RED FLAGS AT AN OPEN HOME?
It’s hard to get a good gander at a property during the open home. There’s either a dozen other couples going through at the same time - or sometimes - just the real estate agent…having a chat while you try to absorbe the layout and imagine your sofa in that space.
Never mind looking for defects.
Most people that we carry out pre-purchase building inspections for have only been to the property once!
So we have compiled a handy list of crucial things that you can look for yourself while walking through at top speed. You don’t need to get in the roof space, that’s our job!
Top 5 Things to look at while wizzing through an open home:
(1) Site - make special note of the hard landscaping in relation to the foliage? If the yard is overgrown with a retaining wall collapsing somewhere that might be a sign of other things going on like poor drainage, poor maintenance over the years or else termite activity in the yard. Could mean nothing but good to take notice.
(2) Building Exterior - encompasses a lot - but if you were focusing on just one thing, the overall state of the gutters and downpipes is pretty critical. Maintenance, rusting, connection points, clear of debris? Getting the water off your roof and away from your property is a big deal.
(3) Building Interior - again, lots to look at - but I would focus on the kitchen since you spend so much time there and a full kitchen reno will cost you anywhere between $10K (small - cosmetic) to $40K (large - replacement). Look at the wear and tear of the cabinets, look under the sink for drips, around the taps for leaking. If you want to renovate it completely, look at whether or not there’s potential for repositioning things or if you are simply dealing with the space you see in front of you!
(4) Wet Areas - get out the magnifying glass and get a close up of the grout and sealant in the showers. Water damage is the Boring Slow Killer of good homes. Weirdly it’s also super easy to bodge up to get an extra 5-10 years out of your bathrooms, as long as you’re all over it and keeping an eye. If the shower seals are visibly cracking, though, there’s a good chance that some water damage has started behind the tiles.
(5) Extras: plumbing, electrical and air con units. I mention all these things because they don’t form part of the building inspection anyway, so it’s good to note any information about them for yourself. If the house is old (pre-1980) you might enquire about any upgrades to the electrical. If the home is rural or in a small town you might ask if it’s on septic. Decide if you might need extra inspections carried out when the time comes and mentally prepare yourself for that.
The Open Home Slog can really wear you down to the point where you can lose sight of what you’re looking at.
We’ve put together an Open Home Checklist that you can print and take with you on the day…or download it to your phone as a reminder to keep on track when you’re busy walking through and imagining if your stuff will look good in here. CLICK HERE to download your checklist now.
