IT\u2019S only natural that home buyers want to save money on the costs associated with their property purchase.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey shop around for legal\/conveyancing deals, removalists and so on,\u201d Bellarine Property managing director Christian Bartley said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes, especially on newer properties, they decide that the recommended pest and building reports are an unnecessary expense.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Bartley advised that purchasers should never take anything for granted, even on relatively new houses.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost real estate agents have a story or two of purchasers that were wiser after the event.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that a house is new doesn\u2019t mean that a purchaser should bypass the pest report.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhite ants can enter even a new home if a tradesman has been careless. They have been known to enter via formwork that has been left around concrete steps, for example.<\/p>\n
\u201cReports that cost a few hundred dollars could save thousands even tens of thousands of dollars if the damage turns out to be extensive.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that homebuyers should make sure they use licensed tradespeople that have professional indemnity insurance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere should be no question of the buyer being out of pocket as long as the tradesperson is covered if they fail to analyse building faults that later become apparent.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf your building and pest report does uncover problems, that doesn\u2019t automatically mean you should pull out of the sale.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne way to approach the issue is to re-negotiate the sale price to allow for repairs. Prudent vendors usually see the wisdom of making adjustments to retain their purchaser.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes vendors prefer to arrange for a tradesman to carry out the work before settlement takes place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Bartley said even a termite infestation doesn\u2019t necessarily mean a purchaser should pull out of the sale.<\/p>\n
\u201cA surprising number of homes have had termites at some stage. It\u2019s a case of quantifying the damage and taking a calculated risk.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, in the case of serious structural damage which is often unquantifiable it is usually safer to give up the idea of purchase no matter how much you like the property. The ultimate choice is up to the purchaser.<\/p>\n
\u201cBuilding and pest reports are a tool for assessing the property\u2019s structural condition and ultimate suitability. In most cases they enable purchasers to reinforce the feeling that they have made the right choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
For further information, phone Christian Bartley on 0410 695 325, email christian@ bellarineproperty.com.au or head to bellarineproperty.com.au.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
IT\u2019S only natural that home buyers want to save money on the costs associated with their property purchase. \u201cThey shop around for legal\/conveyancing deals, removalists and so on,\u201d Bellarine Property managing director Christian Bartley said. \u201cSometimes, especially on newer properties, they decide that the recommended pest and building reports are an unnecessary expense.\u201d Mr Bartley […]<\/p>\n