The pros and cons of open-for-inspections
The pros and cons of open-for-inspections
In Melbourne, whether you are the property buyer of seller, you need to consider the pros and cons of open-for-inspections.
If you are a property buyer, there may be lots of other people attending the open at the same time, making it hard to have a clear view of the property. If the house is crowded you may miss defects, be unable to truly get a sense of the space and sense of whether you want to buy the property or live there.
As a Buyers Agent, we take photos for our clients who could be based overseas and interstate. When a property is full of people it can be very hard to get good shots to email to our clients. The upside is most open houses are for 30 minutes giving us time to really take in the details of the property and not feel rushed.
If the client says they may be willing to buy the property, we often book a second private viewing. Also, one of our highly regarded building inspectors will attend this private viewing and assess the property structurally and do a safety audit.
For the seller, we advise you ensure your selling agent is taking names and contact details and viewing some photo identification of attendees at any public open house.
Once I was viewing a home in inner urban Melbourne and saw another person at the open house steal a picture frame from the mantle piece in the lounge room. Of course, I reported this to the agent before leaving. So, put away small valuables when you have open houses and possibly personal items that can identify you or your family.
For up to date information on what’s happening in real estate in Melbourne, contact Janet at jspencer@buyersolutions.com.au or 0418 101 146.
By Janet Spencer
Buyers Agent, Buyers Agent of the Year 2014, Home buying, Housing Market, In The Media, Janet Spencer, Real Estate News & Opinion, Vendor Advocacy
+61 39816 8555