What should you check beyond the property listing?

Beyond the listing, ask what is known about the property, what is happening around it and what remains to be verified. Start with the documents and the property’s suitability for your plans, then obtain qualified advice where needed. A useful question list supports the investigation; it cannot replace legal, planning or building advice.

Read the property in layers

Start with your brief: how you intend to use the property and what would make it unsuitable. Next, distinguish verified information from assumptions. A photograph, description or renovation idea should lead to questions you can investigate, not a conclusion about what is permitted or possible.

Organise the questions

• The documents: which questions should go to your legal practitioner or conveyancer?
• The building: which aspects need a qualified inspection or report?
• The surroundings: what planning or nearby changes need checking?
• The brief: do access, amenities and daily routines work for you?
• The price: what evidence and process inform your decision?

Use the official checklist

Consumer Affairs Victoria’s due diligence checklist is a starting point for questions about residential property. It identifies matters that may require investigation or professional advice. Read the current source and obtain advice that applies to the particular address.

Keep a record of unanswered questions

A clear list of what you know and what you do not know helps you decide what needs to happen before the next step. Ask who is responsible for each check, what evidence will answer it and whether time is needed to obtain that evidence.

This is where Front Page Property’s questioning approach connects with full buyer advocacy or help with a property you have found.

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