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Property Guide
Buying a property involves many moving parts at once. While every purchase is different, the journey generally follows a fairly clear pathway.
Buying a property can feel complicated, particularly when you're trying to manage the search, inspections, finance, agents, paperwork and decisions at the same time.
While every purchase is different, the journey generally follows a fairly clear pathway.
Before searching, get clear about your priorities. Think about your budget, preferred locations, property type, must-haves, preferences and anything you definitely don't want.
The clearer you are at the beginning, the easier it becomes to assess properties as they appear.
Once you know what you're looking for, the search begins.
Online property platforms are an obvious starting point, and opportunities may also come through relationships with agents, agency databases and off-market conversations.
As you inspect properties, keep a record of what you see. After several inspections, properties can quickly start to blend together.
A property that looks right at first glance may still have questions attached to it.
Consider how well it actually matches your priorities, how it compares with other properties you've seen, the asking price or likely value, potential ongoing costs and anything you don't yet know.
Before committing to a purchase, make sure the appropriate checks have been completed.
Depending on the property and where you're buying, this may involve your conveyancer or solicitor reviewing the contract and relevant property documentation, building and pest inspections, strata or body corporate information, planning matters or other specialist investigations.
Requirements and terminology differ between Australian states and territories, so appropriate local professional advice is important.
Once you're comfortable with the property and ready to proceed, the next stage may involve making an offer and negotiating the price and terms.
Knowing your position before negotiations begin can help you make decisions without allowing the emotion of finding a property to override the limits you've already established.
Once an agreement is reached, your conveyancer or solicitor and other relevant professionals guide the legal and settlement process through to completion.
Clarity can support you at the level you need throughout the buying journey, helping you organise the process, assess properties, identify questions and next steps, and provide support around offers and negotiations where included within your service.
Useful resource: Moneysmart — Buying a house. Moneysmart is an Australian Government resource and provides a useful national overview of the home-buying process.
General information is a starting point. When you'd like personal guidance for your situation, let's talk.
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