Pre-Purchase Surveys

When you buy a home it's only natural to assume that what you see and have inspected is what you will be buying. 

Whilst this is usually the case it is not always so.

It's fair to assume that what is contained within those fence lines is what you are getting for your money.

Unfortunately, our experience tells us otherwise. What's more, our experience shows that most people don't find out that there is a problem until it's too late to do anything other than own the problem themselves - meaning it's up to them to solve it - at their own cost.

Quite often these problems existed long before they bought the property. Had they ordered a pre-purchase survey before settling their purchase they may well have been able to require the seller to rectify the issue at the seller's cost prior to settlement or to have sought some monetary compensation.

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What are these problems?

Problems we have encountered range from fences or retaining walls that are not built on boundaries to more serious issues such as buildings or swimming pools that encroach across the boundary.

These can lead to some very unpleasant disputes with a neighbour and potentially large rectification costs. 

A while back we had a client who was denied their application to build that awesome swimming pool they had designed & planned because, as it turned out, only half of that big back yard they thought they owned was actually theirs.

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What is the solution?

Unfortunately, it's 'caveat emptor' - let the buyer beware - when buying a property so an important thing to remember when purchasing property is to not to rely on someone else’s word. Knowing as much as possible about your property (and having it in writing) puts you in a position of power. This is what a pre-purchase survey will do for you. Along with a pest inspection and building inspection, a pre-purchase survey is a key step in avoiding major headaches or financial issues down the road. 

What does a Pre-Purchase Survey include?

A Pre-Purchase Survey determines the boundary measurements so you know if the features of the land actually lie on the property you are buying. These features likely include:

• Buildings

• Driveways

• Fences

• Pathways

A Pre-Purchase Survey will also determine whether neighbouring buildings are encroaching on your land.

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