Guide to buying a house

Check your purchasing power. 

The first step in this guide to buying a house is to speak with your Financial Adviser, bank or Broker who will assess your situation, advise how much you can borrow, and arrange the best loan to suit your needs. Once you have pre-approval, you can confidently begin the hunt for a new home. 

> You may be eligible for government grants, so be sure to ask your Richardson & Wrench Agent for more information.
Appraise your current property

> A sensible recommendation in any guide to buying a house would be for buyers who own property to have their current property professionally appraised by an area specialist. In most cases it is better to sell before you buy. It will save a lot of heartache and make your life less stressful!
Find & Seek

> You don’t really need to look any further than the internet if you want to find a good guide to buying a house. It’s really a valuable tool for researching property. There is plenty of information available, including detailed descriptions, floor plans, photos, location maps and recent sales results. Register for the Richardson & Wrench Property Alerts so that as soon as a property is listed that matches your requirements and lifestyle, you will know about it first, even before the property hits domain or realestate.com.au.

> Shortlist properties that best suit your lifestyle and meet your expectations on price, location and features. Like an area? Have a coffee in a local café and get a feel for the area.

> Inspect and attend auctions of similar properties to get familiar with prices and areas. Check results online and keep a list of the properties viewed, their features, and sale prices.

> Well priced properties can sell within days, so you need to be looking on a daily basis.

> If you really want a great guide to buying a house, get to know your Richardson & Wrench area specialist. They can provide you with additional information, offer advice, keep you updated with  properties of interest, and alert you to new listings before they hit the market.

Do so much research that you could write a guide to buying a house.

> When you find a property you like, let the agent know so they can involve you in any negotiations. Ask the agent to send you a copy of the contract and consult with your solicitor or conveyancer. If you don’t have a solicitor or conveyancer, ask your Richardson & Wrench Agent if they can recommend one to you.

> Make sure you know as much as possible about the property so you can make an informed decision. Arrange a building and pest inspection so you are aware of any defects, not everything is visible to the naked eye.

> Ask the local council about any development applications – if a new development is about to be built next door, you will want to know.

Do you think there could possibly be anything more to this guide to buying a house? Read on for further tips.

Offer & Acceptance

> After researching the market and arranging finance, you will know how much you can afford to offer and what is a fair and reasonable price for the property.

> You may be tempted to make a very low offer in an attempt to grab a bargain but others may also be making offers and you could miss out. If you really want the property make sure your offer is realistic.

> The more attractive you can make your offer in terms of price and conditions, the more likely your offer will be accepted.

> Once negotiations are finalised, you will need to arrange a building insurance policy to protect your interest in the property. You will be required to sign the contract and pay a 10% deposit. Your deposit  will be held in a trust account or invested in an interest-bearing account until settlement. Your solicitor or conveyancer will keep you informed in the lead up to settlement.

Home & Hosed

> On settlement day it is advisable that you do a final inspection before settlement takes place. This is to ensure that the property is in the same condition as when you agreed to purchase it, and that all inclusions are as per the contract you signed.

> Once the Agent has been advised that settlement has taken place, you will be able to collect the keys.

Have you found this guide to buying a house to be helpful? If there is anything else that you want to know, please get in touch with us