# The first-home buyer's open-home checklist (plus 20 questions to ask the agent) > **Reading time:** 7 min • **For:** Buyers attending open homes • **Save this page** to your phone before Saturday Photos won't show the traffic noise at 8am or that the "spacious" living area barely fits a couch. Here's how to make 15 minutes count. ## Quick links - [Buying a house: ASIC Moneysmart](https://moneysmart.gov.au/home-loans/buying-a-house) - [Seller disclosure scheme: Queensland Government](https://www.qld.gov.au/law/housing-and-neighbours/buying-and-selling-a-property/seller-disclosure-scheme) - [Underquoting guidance for property professionals (NSW): NSW Government](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/property-professionals/working-as-an-agent/underquoting-guidance) - [Underquoting information for real estate agents (VIC): Consumer Affairs Victoria](https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/licensing-and-registration/estate-agents/running-your-business/underquoting-information-for-real-estate-agents) - [Property inspection checklist: ANZ](https://www.anz.com.au/personal/home-loans/tips-and-guides/property-inspection-checklist-what-to-look-for-when-buying-a-house/) - [What to check at an open home: Inspect My Home](https://www.inspectmyhome.com.au/blog/6-things-to-check-in-an-open-home/) ## Before you go Five minutes of prep beats anything you'll do at the inspection. - **Drive past at a different time** — 5:30pm or Saturday night to see what the street is really like. - **Check Google Maps satellite.** Spot patchwork roof repairs and what sits behind the back fence. - **Pull the sold history** on Domain and [realestate.com.au](https://www.realestate.com.au/). Relisted twice? Ask why. - **Check council planning maps and flood overlays.** From 1 August 2025, QLD sellers must give you a [Form 2 Seller Disclosure Statement](https://www.qld.gov.au/law/housing-and-neighbours/buying-and-selling-a-property/seller-disclosure-scheme) before you sign. It doesn't cover flood history or structural soundness, so do your own digging. - **Read the disclosure document before you arrive (NSW + VIC).** In NSW the vendor must have a [contract for sale](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/buying-and-selling-property) available from the moment the property is marketed; ask the agent to email it the night before. In VIC the vendor must give you a [Section 32 Vendor's Statement](https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/buying-and-selling-property/buying-property) before you sign, and the listing must display a [Statement of Information](https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/licensing-and-registration/estate-agents/running-your-business/underquoting-information-for-real-estate-agents) with three comparable sales and an indicative price range. - **Know the price-guide rules in your state.** In NSW and VIC, agents are bound by [underquoting laws](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/property-professionals/working-as-an-agent/underquoting-guidance) — the advertised price can't be less than the agent's reasonable estimate in the agency agreement. QLD doesn't have an equivalent regime — price guides are optional, so do your own comparable-sales work before you walk in. - **Bring the kit.** Phone charged, notes app open, tape measure, torch. The torch is non-negotiable. ## At the inspection: the checklist Walk a loop — outside, inside, outside again. The expensive problems are structural, not stylistic. **Exterior and structure** - Roof line: straight or sagging? Cracked or recently patched tiles? - Gutters and downpipes: rust, sagging, vegetation growing in them? - Foundation/stumps: cracks, lean, or moss at ground level (drainage warning). - External walls: step-cracks in brickwork, fresh paint over patches, render bubbling. - Fences: leaning, rotten, or shared with a neighbour who doesn't maintain theirs. **Inside: the boring stuff that costs the most** - Floors: bouncy, sloping or soft underfoot signals stump or joist problems. - Walls: cracks above doorways, fresh paint in odd patches (often hiding damp). - Ceilings: water stains, sagging, fresh paint in one room only. - Windows and doors: open and close every one. Sticking or self-swinging points to movement. - Kitchens and bathrooms: mould in corners, water damage under sinks. Open every cupboard. **Plumbing and electrical** - Turn on every tap. Check hot water pressure and time to run hot. - Hot water system age. Most last [8–15 years](https://www.silverdrains.com.au/hot-water/information/how-long-do-hot-water-systems-last); replacement $1,000–$5,000. - Switchboard: old ceramic fuses mean decades-old wiring. You want circuit breakers and a safety switch. - Count power points per room. Two per bedroom = rewire cost. **Light, layout, and outside the fence** - Aspect: north-facing living gets winter sun; south-facing gets none. - Storage: open the linen cupboard, pantry, wardrobes. - Measure rooms. A "bedroom" under 9sqm won't fit a queen plus wardrobe. - Listen from the street for traffic, trains, dogs, flight paths. Check mobile reception in back rooms.
Printable

Open-home walkthrough checklist

Property
Date

Exterior

  • Roof line
  • Gutters & downpipes
  • Foundations / stumps
  • Brickwork / render
  • Fences

Interior

  • Floors flex/slope
  • Wall cracks
  • Ceiling stains
  • Windows/doors
  • Kitchens & baths

Plumb / Elec

  • All taps run hot
  • Hot water age
  • Switchboard modern
  • Safety switch
  • Powerpoint count

Layout

  • Aspect / sunlight
  • Storage
  • Room sizes
  • Flow / privacy
  • Future fit

Locality

  • Traffic / noise
  • Mobile reception
  • Neighbours
  • Backyard outlook
  • Flood overlay
Gut feel out of 10
Deal-breakers spotted
## 20 questions to ask the agent Agents must disclose material facts — in QLD, only if you ask. Tone: curious, not combative. **Property history (1–5)** 1. **How long has it been on the market?** Long listings signal overpricing or a problem buyers keep finding. 2. **Has the price been reduced, and by how much?** A 5% cut after four weeks shows the vendor's negotiating room. 3. **When did the vendor buy it, and what did they pay?** Public record. Hesitation is informative. 4. **Has it been listed before and withdrawn?** Often means failed inspections. 5. **Why is the vendor selling?** Death, divorce, downsize, or a job interstate change urgency. **The sale itself (6–10)** 6. **Any offers, and in what range?** Agents will usually give a band. 7. **What settlement timeline does the vendor want?** A quick 30-day settle = more price flexibility. 8. **Will you accept an offer subject to building and pest, and finance?** *(In NSW, alternatively, will you accept a longer cooling-off period — say 10 business days?)* Lock conditional terms early. 9. **Will you accept a reduced deposit — and when is it due?** Useful leverage where cash on hand is tight pre-settlement. 10. **Is the contract standard, or custom?** Custom = yellow flag — send to your conveyancer first. *(And in QLD, ask whether a Form 2 Seller Disclosure Statement has been prepared — mandatory from 1 August 2025. No Form 2, no signature.)* **The building (11–15)** 11. **Any known structural issues, past or present?** Agents must disclose material defects. Get it on the record. 12. **Any unapproved building work — extensions, decks, granny flat?** Becomes your problem at settlement. 13. **Age of roof, hot water system, and switchboard?** Three of the biggest near-term replacement costs. 14. **Termite treatment and current pest certificate?** CSIRO: one in three Australian homes see termites. 15. **Any insurance claims for flood, storm, or subsidence?** These shape your future premiums. **Locality, council, and future (16–20)** 16. **Flood zone or overland flow path?** Cross-check with council mapping. 17. **Development applications lodged nearby?** A 10-storey approval next door changes everything. 18. **Council rates, water rates, body corporate fees?** Three numbers you'll pay every quarter forever. 19. **Easements, covenants, or caveats on title?** A drainage easement limits what you can build. 20. **Is it tenanted, and what's the lease end date?** A 12-month lease in place blocks move-in.
📱 Save this

The 20 questions, screenshot-friendly

🏷 Property history (1–5)

  1. How long on the market?
  2. Price reductions since listing?
  3. When + what did the vendor pay?
  4. Listed before and withdrawn?
  5. Why is the vendor selling?

💼 The sale itself (6–10)

  1. Any offers, and in what range?
  2. What settlement timeline?
  3. Subject to B&P + finance? (NSW: longer cooling-off?)
  4. Reduced deposit + when is it due?
  5. Standard contract or custom? (Form 2 ready in QLD?)

🏗 The building (11–15)

  1. Any known structural issues?
  2. Any unapproved building work?
  3. Age of roof, HWS, switchboard?
  4. Termite treatment + certificate?
  5. Insurance claims (flood / storm)?

🗺 Locality & future (16–20)

  1. Flood zone or overland flow path?
  2. Development applications nearby?
  3. Council rates, water, body corp?
  4. Easements, covenants, caveats?
  5. Tenanted? What's the lease end?

📷 Save to camera roll. Open before each inspection.

## What NOT to do - **Don't gush.** Agents report buyer enthusiasm back to the vendor — it shows up in the negotiation. - **Don't volunteer your budget.** "Pre-approved up to $800K" is the most expensive sentence at an open home. Say you're "in the market." - **Don't sign anything on the spot** beyond the sign-in register. - **Don't talk price with your partner in earshot.** They can hear you. They're paid to. ## After the inspection Before you drive away, record a 2-minute voice memo: gut feel out of 10, three things you loved, three that worried you. Six opens from now, they'll all blur. Same day: - Photograph the brochure and the sign with the agent's number. - Email follow-up questions in writing. Written answers are evidence; verbal ones evaporate. - Pull comparable sales on Domain and [realestate.com.au](https://www.realestate.com.au/) and pressure-test the price. ## What's next If it feels right, move quick and in parallel: - **Talk to your broker** to confirm borrowing capacity for this specific property. - **Brief your conveyancer.** They'll review the contract (and Form 2 in QLD) before you sign. - **Book a building and pest** for the cooling-off window. In QLD this is your strongest protection. In NSW cooling-off is 5 business days on private treaty (may be waived under a s 66W certificate); in VIC it's 3 business days from the buyer signing the contract on private sales. Auctions have **no cooling-off** in any state. Buyers who win at open homes have their team assembled before they fall in love. If you haven't lined those three up yet, the [Buyer's Readiness Report](/) walks you through the order of operations. ## Sources - [Buying a house: ASIC Moneysmart](https://moneysmart.gov.au/home-loans/buying-a-house) - [Seller disclosure scheme: Queensland Government](https://www.qld.gov.au/law/housing-and-neighbours/buying-and-selling-a-property/seller-disclosure-scheme) - [Property industry regulation: Queensland Government](https://www.qld.gov.au/law/laws-regulated-industries-and-accountability/queensland-laws-and-regulations/regulated-industries-and-licensing/regulated-industries-licensing-and-legislation/property-industry-regulation) - [Underquoting guidance for property professionals: NSW Government](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/property-professionals/working-as-an-agent/underquoting-guidance) - [Buying and selling property in NSW: NSW Government](https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/buying-and-selling-property) - [Underquoting information for real estate agents: Consumer Affairs Victoria](https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/licensing-and-registration/estate-agents/running-your-business/underquoting-information-for-real-estate-agents) - [Buying property: Consumer Affairs Victoria](https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/buying-and-selling-property/buying-property) - [Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ)](https://www.reiq.com/) - [Real Estate Institute of New South Wales (REINSW)](https://www.reinsw.com.au/) - [Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV)](https://reiv.com.au/) - [Property inspection checklist: ANZ](https://www.anz.com.au/personal/home-loans/tips-and-guides/property-inspection-checklist-what-to-look-for-when-buying-a-house/) - [What to check at an open home: Inspect My Home](https://www.inspectmyhome.com.au/blog/6-things-to-check-in-an-open-home/) - [How to identify structural damage: Vital Building and Pest Inspections](https://vitalbuildinginspection.com.au/how-to-identify-structural-damage-during-property-inspections/) - [How long do hot water systems last: Silver Drains](https://www.silverdrains.com.au/hot-water/information/how-long-do-hot-water-systems-last) - [Form 2 Seller Disclosure Statement (QLD): Ensure Legal](https://ensurelegal.com.au/form-2-seller-disclosure-statement-queensland-what-sellers-agents-and-buyers-need-to-know-from-1-august-2025/)