Perth Property

Now that you have targeted a Perth property area you will already have some idea of the type of home you wish to purchase. For example, upon your Perth property suburb research you may have decided you are willing to compromise on block size to live closer to the city, or that you want to live in the suburbs so that you can purchase a Perth property with a garden for the kids to play in.

But what exactly do you want?

Are you big entertainers?
Do you spend your nights in your bedroom under the blankets watching TV?
Perhaps you do both. As with the suburb forms, complete this form by yourself and then compare with your partner if applicable. This document will form the basis of your agent brief sheet and give you an idea what to look for when the time comes to view properties.
Age of the property
Do you like the look of modern homes or are you happy to live in a more established Perth property?

There are a few considerations here:
  • In your target suburb you may be restricted to a certain housing stock. For instance, if your selected suburb has predominantly older housing stock, you may only be able to consider the purchase of older properties.
  • Homes built prior to 2000 may have asbestos. Whilst this is an obvious safety hazard and removal is recommended, generally older homes around Perth have what is known as ‘bonded asbestos’, which means the asbestos only becomes a serious health threat if the fibres are exposed. Your building inspector will be able to advise further here.
  • Older properties may have more maintenance items than newly constructed buildings. Again, your building inspector can help here as your comprehensive building inspection will form the base of a maintenance program for the property. Often if the maintenance program is adhered to, the threat of any structural damage to your home is greatly reduced, saving you thousands in the long run.
  • Older properties may not be as energy efficient as newly constructed buildings, which may increase heating and cooling costs. It is particularly worth noting that if you have plans to extend the property, then you must comply with the energy efficiency requirements for housing for alterations, renovations and additions to existing homes. http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/building-commission/energy-efficiency-residential-buildings.
Block Location
Look at your suburb target sheet & highlight the reason that you chose the suburb. Make this clear to your real estate agent.
Also consider any particular amenities that you want to live in close proximity to. For example:
  • Public transport
  • Shops
  • School
  • Park(s) / Playground(s)

Also state areas where you are or are not willing to compromise when finding your Perth property location. For example:
  • Are you willing to live near a main road?
  • Are you willing to live opposite a school?
  • Are you willing to live opposite shops?
Property Location
Your real estate agent will now have an idea of the streets within a suburb that will appeal to you, but now its time to consider the property location within the street. For example:
  • Are you willing to live in a property alongside a laneway?
  • Are you willing to purchase a home on a rear-loaded homesite? This is a homesite with a garage built at the back. Commonly these blocks have access from a laneway located at the rear of the property.
  • Are you willing to purchase a home on a cottage block? Cottage lots are smaller, low-maintenance homesites around 350m2. These blocks suit people looking for an easy-care garden, with most of the site dedicated to home as opposed to garden.
  • Are you willing to live on a battle-axe block? A battle axe block is an area of land located behind another. The term derives from the relative shape of the plot of land as the plot located at the back appears to be the blade of the axe whilst the driveway serves as the handle.
Property Features
  • Now you will need to decide on some prerequisites for the property itself. For example:
  • What is the minimum amount of bedrooms you require?
  • What is the minimum amount of bathrooms you require?
  • Do you need an office / do you intend to work from home?
  • Do you want an outdoor entertainment area? Bear in mind that this can be added after moving in, although it may require more saving.
  • What is the most important area in the house? You may be an avid cook, or you may want a home theatre for watching the ‘big games’ or movies on.
  • What type of flow do you want from the house? For example, open-plan living is the generic term used by designers to define the use of large open spaces to incorporate living areas. You should decide whether open-plan living is desirable for your property selection. It should also be noted that works can be undertaken should you wish to convert your property to incorporate open-plan living. Your building inspector will help to discuss the viability of this as part of your building inspection.
It is important to remember that you may not be able to find the property that perfectly fits the criteria you have created, although it may still be the perfect home.

Allow yourself to fall-in-love with a Perth property, but don't allow it to show when placing an offer. If at this point you don't want the hassle of negotiation and emotions that come with it, you may want to consider the acquisition of a buyers agent.

If not, game face on, you're ready to buy your home!
Real estate cannot be lost or stolen, nor can it be carried away. Purchased with common sense, paid for in full, and managed with reasonable care, it is about the safest investment in the world.
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