Essence of a Prepurchase Property Report Before You Buy

Law Blog

If you have found a house that you are interested in buying and the house appears to be in pristine condition, you still need to have it inspected. Many home sellers dress up their houses to accentuate the good features and hide the flaws. Read on to understand what a building inspection report is, why you need one, and what a building inspection entails.

What is a Pre-purchase Property Report?

This is a building inspection report that you are given before you buy a house. It is a written account that details the state of the property. A pre-purchase report is also called a standard property report and normally informs you about building defects like rising damp, cracking, faulty roof and safety hazards.

Why You Need a Building Inspection Report

• To determine in advance the problems with the property you are buying. In most cases, homeowners do not care for their homes and normally ignore leaky faucets and fail to replace A/C filters or heating. In such neglected homes mold can begin to grow, and there may be lots of other problems that cannot be noted by just looking at the property.
• To negotiate for a lower price. For example, if you discover there are problems with the roof of the house you are buying, you will negotiate for a lower price based on the cost of repairs that you will have to incur.
• To get professional advice on the problems affecting the house and the effects they will have in future. Some building problems can be quite costly, and may be difficult to fix making you better off looking for another home.

What Does a Building Inspection Entail?

A building inspector examines all the accessible areas of the property. These areas include:

• The interior of the house
• The exterior of the house
• The roof space
• The roof exterior
• Under-floor space
• Garage, garden shed and carport
• Separate toilet or laundry
• Driveways and paths
• Fencing
• Surface water drainage

What does a Building Inspection Report Feature?

A building inspection report includes:

• Your name
• The place where the house to be inspected is located
• The date when it was inspected
• The scope of the inspection
• An indication of the places or things that the inspectors did not examine and why they failed to examine them.
• List of areas or items that were not inspected and the reasons why these areas or items were not inspected
• A summary that details the general condition of the house
• A list of the problems that should be fixed

For more information on inspecting and buying a property, contact a company like Rae & Partners.

3 November 2015