General News
1 August, 2022
Pre-purchase inspections crucial according to local agent, VBA
The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) is reminding prospective home buyers of the importance of a pre-purchase inspection as local property sales continue to boom. Pre-purchase inspections should review a property from top to bottom, including the...
The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) is reminding prospective home buyers of the importance of a pre-purchase inspection as local property sales continue to boom.
Pre-purchase inspections should review a property from top to bottom, including the roof space, and whether the property is in a bushfire-prone area to uncover any defects and avoid surprises down the track.
Dunolly Priority1 Property sales consultant and leasing agent Kerri Jongebloed said with houses most people’s biggest investment, it’s vital to organise a pre-purchase inspection.
“It’s peace of mind for the buyer because it is the biggest purchase in their life. It’s something everybody should take on board,” she said.
“A house is most people’s biggest asset and you want to make sure it complies with proper building regulations and so you can foresee any future works.
“It’s happened a couple of times where people have bought properties sight unseen, but that’s seen as a desperate measure if people are willing to buy without seeing it — they’ve got to move and things have been selling quite quickly.
“The majority of clients get a building and pest inspection. It’s usually a condition in the contract.”
Ms Jongebloed said being a region with older homes and surround by bush makes pre-purchase inspections important.
“Two of the main reasons people seek building inspections here is older homes and termites,” she said.
“A lot of people will buy an older home knowing it needs some work, but by having that inspection done, the builder’s report will give them some insight into what’s going on in the house, and so they have a guide to go by.
“Because we are surrounded by bush here termites are a big concern for this area.
“The majority of buyers want to ensure there hasn’t been any white ant damage, or that there aren’t any active. Some properties will have old white ant damage but it’s been properly treated.”
Builders who conduct pre-purchase inspections must be properly trained and registered to conduct pre-purchase inspections.
Visit vba.vic.gov.au/check to make sure the builder doing your pre-purchase inspection is registered.