For anyone interested in buying a house in Perth, here are some tips I've collected.
They do not all apply to all situations, so ensure you use your own judgement, but they
may help you through what is often a fairly painful process.
- In general, real estate agents work for the buyer - they are more interested in a quick,
low effort, sale than in a good price (it is much better to earn 10% of $100,000 with one
day of work than 10% of $120,000 with one months work).
- Check any city by-laws, caveats, or easements on the house.
- Check caveats on the contract.
- Ensure enough time is allowed for loan approval, at least ten working days.
- Try to keep your emotions under control and not get too emotionally involved with
the house you might purchase (this is usually not really possible). Try not to let
them play on your emotions.
- Allow money for fixing the place up (new carpets, repainting, cleaning, repairs).
It is often better to buy a house five or ten thousands dollarys cheaper and use the
difference to fix the place up (the same applies for cars).
- Remember (preferably photograph) wall fixtures lest they disappear between acceptance
and ownership.
- Check light fittings (some people even steel the light bulbs out of the house!).
- Redirect your mail and also print stickers for readdressing your mail and leave them
with the new owners of your old house. The post office understands
NATA = Not at this address and RTS = return to sender, so after six months or so you can
just scribble NATA RTS on any wrongly addressed mail and drop it in the outgoing mail pile.