For some that might seem a little strange but once explained most tend to agree. Here are a few things I am looking for when buying a property before I got to inspect.
1. Street appeal – is it consistent with others in the area. If not it might be harder to resell or attract tenants that are drawn to a particular area. For example a 90s brick veneer in a post war area.
2. Block shape & size – If its smaller than the average in the area, dependent on the client requirements, this is also a no. For some reason, irregularly shaped blocks turn buyers away. Especially ones that are either really narrow at the front or at the back. Battleaxe blocks as well.
3. Floorplan – most properties come with floor plans and this can shorten the number of properties required to inspect dramatically. Poorly designed floor plans that are not easily rectified are some to avoid also. If it can be relatively easily modified or altered at a cost that isn’t prohibitive go for it. Otherwise simply wait for something better to come along.
4. Slope – If I can’t see the front door from the street because I need a Sherpa to guide me to it, its a no. More often than not, I don’t recommend buying below street level either. Unless the drainage has already been done and the site is level.
5. Neighbours – not just relying on Google Street View but also development applications submitted, APMPricefinder or CoreLogic RP Data ownership records. I subscribe to NearMap which has saved my clients a fair bit of heartache when trying to track when works have been carried out
6. Flooding – Newcastle City Council has a brilliant online app to check flood risk. You can find it here. Information on Lake Macquarie can be found here
7. Quality of fittings, fixtures and renovations. There is a certain renovation coach that has unleashed a tonne of flippers into the world. Some do very well and some simply should have left the place in its original condition. When they look good in the pictures, I want to know if they are the same in reality.
These are just a few as I can’t give away all my secrets however if you want any clarification on any of these points, let me know by dropping me an email.
