Questions to ask before making an offer

• Ask the agent
• Why is the vendor selling, and what is their timeline?It tells you whether a longer or shorter settlement helps you, and whether price is the only lever.
• How long has it been on the market?A recently listed property and one that has been passed in twice are different negotiations.
• Have there been offers, and what happened to them?Agents will not always answer fully, but the answer or the hesitation is informative.
• What is included in the sale?Appliances, fixtures, window coverings. Get it into the contract rather than the conversation.
• Are there any known issues or works planned?On strata, ask directly about special levies, defects and upcoming major works.
• Ask your solicitor or conveyancer
• Is there anything unusual in the contract?Special conditions, sunset clauses on off-the-plan, easements, covenants or unapproved works.
• What does the title show?Encumbrances, caveats and any restriction on how the property can be used or altered.
• For strata, what does the record say?Sinking fund balance, levy history, minutes referring to defects, and the ratio of owner-occupiers to renters.
• Can we negotiate the cooling-off period or conditions?On private treaty there is usually more flexibility than buyers assume.
• Ask about the property itself
• What did the building and pest inspection find?Findings become a price adjustment or a first-year budget. They are rarely a reason to walk, and always a reason to know.
• How does this property type finance?Studios under 50 square metres, company title, off the plan and unusual construction all carry lender restrictions. Ask before you commit, not after.
• What are the ongoing costs?Council rates, water, strata levies and insurance. They belong in your budget alongside the repayment.
• Ask yourself
• Is my finance genuinely ready for this specific property?Pre-approval covers you; it does not cover every property. Valuation and property-type policy still apply.
• What is my actual ceiling, and did I set it calmly?Write it down before the day. Auction rooms are designed to move that number.
• What happens if the valuation comes in under the price?The gap is yours to fund. If that would break you, the bid ceiling needs to come down. What happens when a valuation lands low.
• Am I buying unconditionally?At auction, yes: no cooling-off and no finance clause. Every question above should be answered before Saturday, not after.
• Would I still want this in five years?Buying costs are heavy and spread thin only over time. A property you would leave in eighteen months is an expensive purchase whatever the price.

This is a due diligence checklist, not legal advice. Your solicitor or conveyancer reviews the contract and title, and a building inspector assesses the property. What we can tell you is how the property and your position will be read by a lender.