Buying your first home can be an exciting but overwhelming experience. There are many factors to consider, from finding the right home to securing financing and navigating the legal process. Here’s a guide for first home buyers in Auckland and the process involved.

Budget
It’s important to set a budget before you start looking for a home. Consider your income, expenses, and any other financial obligations you may have. This will help you determine how much you can afford to spend on a home and what financing you may need.

Pre-Approval
Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is a crucial step in the home-buying process. This involves meeting with a lender to determine how much they’re willing to lend you based on your financial situation. This will give you a clear idea of your budget and help you avoid disappointment later on.

Finding your dream home
Once you have a budget and pre-approval, it’s time to start looking for a home. Consider your needs and wants, including location, size, and style. Work with a real estate agent to find properties that meet your criteria and schedule viewings.

Due Diligence
Before making an offer, it’s important to conduct due diligence on the property. This includes getting a building inspection and checking for potential issues or red flags. You may also need to obtain a LIM report (Land Information Memorandum) from the local council to ensure there are no outstanding issues with the property.

Make your Offer
Once you have found a property you love, it’s time to make an offer. Work with your real estate agent to determine a fair price based on market conditions and the property’s condition. Your agent will then present the offer to the seller’s agent and negotiate on your behalf.

Finalisation of the Sale & Purchase
If everything checks out, it’s time to finalise the sale. Work with your real estate agent and lawyer to draft a sale and purchase agreement, which outlines the terms and conditions of the sale. Once both parties have signed the agreement, the sale is considered binding.

Moving In
Congratulations, you’re now a homeowner! Once the sale is finalised, it’s time to move in and make your new house a home. This may involve hiring movers, decorating, and making any necessary repairs or renovations.
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In conclusion, buying your first home can be a complex process, but with the right preparation and guidance, it can also be a rewarding experience. By setting a budget, getting pre-approved for a mortgage, finding the right property, making an offer, conducting due diligence, finalising the sale, and moving in, you can successfully navigate the home-buying process and start building equity in your own home. If you need help with your home-buying journey, we would love to help.
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Call us today for your free quote - 021 143 2995 - www.savvyhouz.co.nz

When you're on the exciting journey of buying a new home, there are a couple of important steps to take beyond agreeing on the price. One of these steps is looking at the "builder's report." Think of this report as a detailed check-up for the house, carried out by a qualified inspector. They go through the property meticulously, looking for any signs of past or present damage and areas where materials might not be up to the best standards. This can happen before or after you've agreed on the price with the seller.
 
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Getting a building inspection is like having someone assess the possible risks associated with the property you're interested in. It helps you figure out what maintenance tasks you might need to take care of in the future if you decide to buy the place. However, there's a thing you should keep in mind—don't expect the report to be all positive. Even brand-new houses can have minor issues, and older ones might have a longer list of things that need attention.
 
Here are five friendly steps to help you go through your builder's report:
 
Prepare Yourself: Remember, the building inspector's job is to find anything that could be less than perfect with the property. They're not there to tell you how great the house is. So, keep in mind that you might not get the reassurance you're hoping for from the report. It's a bit like taking a deep breath before looking at the results.
 
Get Some Perspective: Almost every builder's report will point out areas that could be better and might require some spending to fix. Building standards have improved over time, so comparing an older house to a new one isn't exactly apples to apples. When you're reading the report, think about whether the issues are common or urgent. Is it something you need to tackle right away, or can it wait a bit?
 
Translate the Technical Stuff: Building inspectors have a tough job. They can't predict everything, so they often highlight worst-case scenarios to make sure you're prepared for anything. Don't hesitate to call the inspector and talk about any concerns you have. When you hear about the issues in person, they might not sound as daunting as they do in writing. And if you can, meet the inspector on-site at the end of their inspection to discuss any big concerns face-to-face.
 
Ask for Cost Estimates: Inspectors often have hands-on building experience and might be able to give you a rough idea of how much it could cost to fix an issue they found. You can ask them: "If this was your house, what would you do to fix this problem, and how much might it cost?"
 
Be Prepared for Common Problems: Every era of construction has its own set of typical problems. For example, older houses might have specific plumbing issues, while newer ones could have problems with roofing. The key is that there's no such thing as a perfect house. Older homes might need more ongoing care, but they often come with great benefits like nice locations and established surroundings.
 
In a Nutshell...
 
Ask lots of questions. If you're not sure about something major, ask for clarification. Is the issue dangerous? How soon does it need fixing? What's the estimated cost? And most importantly, remind yourself why you fell in love with the house initially. Think about the things that make the home special beyond what's mentioned in the report—like sunlight, access, location, and nearby schools.
 
If you still love the house but the repairs seem overwhelming, talk to your real estate professional. Sometimes, the sellers might be willing to help with repairs or costs. Before you give up on a home you adore, make sure you explore all your options.

While it may seem like common sense to assume that your builder will have double-checked everything before turning over the keys to a new home, it is extremely common to find defects in construction, unfinished technical work, or general finishing left incomplete. Without a final inspection, buyer beware is more than just a trite saying – you’re opening yourself up to the risk of having to carry out repairs and improvements on your near-new home.
 
In many cases, it is up to the new owners to determine whether they want an inspection when they purchase a home, or whether they are willing to take the property ‘as is’.
If you forego inspection, you miss out on some of the important protection that home inspections provide. When inspectors and real estate professionals were asked whether they recommended new homeowners to take out an inspection on their home, they invariably say yes.
 
·       An inspection may point out things that the builder or real estate agent wouldn’t tell you, or might not even notice. It’s easy to miss small defects in your own work.
·       Dependent upon your contract to purchase and any warranties offered by the Builder, if there are problems, you’ll have the opportunity to have them corrected before taking ownership, or at least to have the knowledge of what you’re getting into after the home is yours.
·       Some building inspectors will relate identified defects back to a relevant New Zealand Standard or Building Code, to assist in ensuring all defects are rectified by the Builder in a timely matter.
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Real estate is the single biggest investment that most people ever make – and the cost of carrying out repairs and improvements on a home that you thought was faultless would outweigh the cost of a simple building inspection by far.

Contact Savvy Houz Inspections today on 021 143 2995 or www.savvyhouz.co.nz 
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​Kelvin Thomas​ and Trang Dong​ say they relied on a seller’s building report when they bought their first home​, and now face a $43,000​ bill for a new roof after leaks appeared months after settling.
The couple, who settled on their Palmerston North home in August 2021​, say they noticed the first leak about three months after settling.

The leak in the garage was minor, and Thomas said the family didn’t take any action against the previous owners or real estate agents because they thought it would be an easy fix.
Then in February last year, heavy rains resulted in water started dripping inside the house, he said.

Kelvin said the leaks began in his daughter Emma’s bedroom, and then in the living room, and the family had to leave buckets out.

“My daughter's room is leaking everywhere, she can’t sleep she’s so scared,” Dong said. “We had to move her into our bedroom.”
The couple paid a handyman $900 to do remedial work when they noticed the leak in the garage, but the leaking got worse, and they paid $1300 more for repairs in March.
Issues continued, and in July, the couple paid for a roofer to do an inspection.

The report, by Streamline Roofing, found that the roof was in “extremely poor condition and requires a full roof replacement”.

There was a significant amount of rust over the entire roof and the internal gutter, which was most likely to be leaking on to the ceiling, the report said.
“Many of the nail holes are rusted, as well as missing washers, or not having the washers properly in place.”

The roofer also pointed to poor workmanship in other areas of the roof, and tape that had been applied over rusted areas and holes, which would not keep water from leaking through.
“At the back of the house, new iron has been installed however the iron has been cut too short, allowing water to fall behind the spouting and possibly into the wall cavity,” the report said.

The family’s neighbour, Malcolm Frith​, who was also a builder said he inspected the roof, and it was obvious it was in poor condition.
“It was pretty obvious there was something wrong,” he said.

The seller-supplied building inspection, completed by Total Home Inspection Services in April 2021​, describing the roof’s condition as: “Currently performing, but maintenance is needed.”
The report noted remedial work, before a full prep and paint, was a recommended long term improvement, and also recommended “discussing maintenance options with an experienced roofer”.
The report stated the corrugated iron roof is “generally well sealed” but isolated repairs would be required to flashings, fixings, areas of iron, and the cap flashings before a full prep and paint.

It also noted some fixing nails needed replacing, and a large internal gutter running through the centre of the house showed “varying amounts of corrosion”.
“There is no evidence within the house that this is currently failing, but it needs to be checked further and most likely will need to be replaced,” the building inspection report said.

The report included a photo of a section of roof that appeared to be black tarpaulin held down by two large blocks of wood, but was not mentioned in the report.
The report mentioned tape repairs in places, and recommended they be removed to check if long-term repair was required.

Dong said that during a mediation session between the real estate agency and building inspector, the inspector said he would help make the house watertight, but he then said he would only fix the too-short areas of roof. The building inspector declined to comment.
Legal recourse for the family is limited against the inspector, because the report was in the previous owner’s name, and no legal relationship exists between the inspector and the family.

Dong said she was shocked that the inspector could have missed so much, and she did not believe the law would allow a buyer to purchase a leaky home.

The pair said they were advised by the real estate agents who handled the sale that they did not need to have their own property inspection done because the seller was able to provide a report.
“What I’ve done wrong is I fully trusted them,” Dong says. “I thought everybody is nice and trustworthy.”

The sale was handled by real estate agency Property Brokers, with agent Alex Ward and manager David Kleu named on the sale and purchase agreement.
When asked whether the agents advised the customers they did not need to have their own inspection done, Kleu said Ward had left the agency, and no further comment would be given, as they had been advised the family were pursuing legal action.

The previous owners, who are named in the sale and purchase agreement as Paul Dando and Dorothy Carse, were contacted via their lawyer Michael Cochrane, with questions over whether the home was known to leak at the time of sale.

Cochrane said the sellers had declined to comment, and he would be making no statement.
There may be other avenues for the family to pursue damages.

Joanna Pidgeon, a partner at Pidgeon Law in Auckland, looked over the family’s sale agreement, and lacked any clauses that might be used by the sellers to protect themselves.
Other agreements might have clauses that stated building reports provided by the vendor were for general information and due diligence purposes only, or that the buyer agreed that they bought the property based on their own investigation or inspection of the property.
“The vendor has not given themselves any protection by using such a clause,” Pidgeon said.

​She said the family may have claims against the sellers under the Fair Trading Act, which stated no person should engage in conduct that was misleading or deceptive, or was likely to mislead or deceive, during a trade.

They may also have claims under the Contract and Commercial Law Act, which allowed for damages to be awarded awarded for misrepresentation if a party had been induced to enter into the contract by a misrepresentation, whether innocently or fraudulently.
Pidgeon said the family could take both the sales agents and sellers to the disputes tribunal, which could award damages up to $30,000.
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“By providing the incorrect building report, even if this was done innocently by the vendor, they are liable for the misrepresentation,” Pidgeon said.
Pidgeon said best practice was to adviseclients to get their own building report, or to check, if one was provided, whether there were conditions limiting liability to the producer of the report.
The family’s lawyer, Amanda McKenzie of Innes Dean​, did not respond to requests for comment.

Savvy Houz Inspections - Protect your investment call us today 021 143 2995 - www.savvyhouz.co.nz

​1st June 2023 Dean Norrie – Savvy Houz Inspections

​Do you have a routine rental inspection coming up?
Don’t stress too much about it, these are normal, and inevitable if you are renting a property in New Zealand. Many tenants begin to stress about these inspections because they don’t know what to expect, and what they are expected to do.
To help you be better prepared for, and stress less about, your next inspection we have created this guide. It will cover what an inspection is, why it is done, and what you should do to get ready for it.

What is a rental inspection?
You should expect a routine inspection to be performed regularly by the property manager or landlord. The property manager has responsibilities in regards to the property which require these inspections to be conducted.

These reasons include:
·       Ensuring the property has been taken care of
·       And any maintenance/repair issues are reported.

Generally, routine inspections are conducted multiple times per year. However, your property manager or landlord cannot simply show up at the property to inspect it, they are legally required to provide notice. There are also some legal guidelines regarding how often an inspection can be conducted. 

Why are these inspections conducted?

The point of rental inspections is to determine if there are any problems within the property that may require maintenance or repairs and to ensure that the property is looked after. Your landlord is required to ensure that maintenance and repairs have been conducted and that the property is in a liveable condition. So, routine inspections are an important part of this. Routine inspections are not a test to see how tidy your house is.

Generally, the inspection will include the following items:
·       Ensuring the property is in a clean and tidy condition.
·       Checking that the grounds are maintained. This will include the gardens, so checking to ensure the garden is being mowed, weeded, and watered.
·       Checking to see if the property has been damaged in any way.
·       Confirming that all who are living at the property are listed on the rental agreement.
·       Ensuring there are no pets beyond what has already been accepted.
·       Identifying any maintenance issues.
During the inspection, the property manager will walk through the property and note down any problems. These will be reviewed when they return to their office. Any new damage or things that could violate the rental agreement will also be noted. You are welcome to be present during the inspection, however, this is not required.

How to best prepare for an inspection.

To ensure the inspection runs smoothly you should do the following before it begins:
·       Update your property manager if you have changed phone numbers, bank details, or email addresses. This will ensure you can communicate easily, and notify each other should any problems arise.
·       Keep your pets secure during the inspection.
·       Note any maintenance problems you notice leading up to the inspection, and report them.

Follow this checklist to ensure your home is ready.

There is a wide range of things you should check before the inspection. By doing so, you will be able to get the most out of your inspection and have maintenance and repairs completed. To help you out, here is a checklist you should follow.

Living room.
Lights.
Check all your lights and make sure they are working. Look at the light fittings for loose cables and make note of any. Wipe all light switches with a cloth to remove residue or leftover fingerprints.
Walls.
If you notice any wear and tear cracks in the wall note these down. While they shouldn’t worry you, it is important to note these to avoid any surprise costs. You should also look along the bottom edge of the wall for any rising dampness.
Floor boards
Floor boards can show signs of wear and tear really easily and can be expensive to fix. Check for creaks along the floor, and see if any parts of the floorboard have begun to come up at the edges.
Kitchens and bathrooms
Sinks and plumbing
Have a look at your taps. Make sure they aren’t dripping as a dripping tap can add unwanted costs to your utility bills. Listen for any strange sounds when you turn on the taps.
Kitchen appliances and fittings
Make sure your oven and stovetops are clean. These are areas your property manager will inspect. If there is any built-up grease your property manager will tell you in the inspection report.
·       Tiles and surfaces
Give your tiles and surfaces a good scrub. Make them shine. Clean up any residual debris on your counters, sinks, mirrors, showers, and bathtubs.
The toilet
Don’t forget to clean your toilet! It is also a good opportunity to check around it to make sure it is all clean.
The cupboards
Check the hinges of your cupboards and the joins in shelves. Often these can catch food residue and grime.
Bedrooms.
Walls and floors
Just like you did for the living room, check your walls and floors, noting any wear and tear that may need maintenance.
·       Windows and doors
Air out the bedrooms, especially after winter where you may have kept the windows closed for a long time. Check all handles and locks to ensure they are still working. It is also a good idea to check sliding doors and windows as these can easily fall into disrepair.
General clean-up
While your property manager won’t poke around your bedroom, it is still a good idea to give it a once-over. Clean up rubbish, and wipe down surfaces.
The exterior.
Cobwebs
Sweep away the cobwebs from around your property. They may be a nuisance, but they need to be cleared away.
Entrance doors
Ensure all locks and handles are functioning properly. This is important for your security so should be looked into. You should also check flyscreens, and wipe away dust from doors.
Garage
Check your garage doors and ensure they work as they were supposed to. It is also a good time to check the garage itself and ensure that it is clean. Wipe up any oil puddles or other stains.
Gate and garden
Take a look around your gates and fences. Ensure these are all still in working order. If they aren’t let your property manager know. Give your lawn a water and a mow, while also removing any weeds.

Conclusion.
A routine inspection doesn’t have to be stressful. It is often a good excuse to give the house a deeper clean than usual. Take the time to look around your house and find anything that may need maintenance or repairs. It is a good idea to let your property manager know before a routine inspection of any repairs or maintenance that may need to be conducted. This will allow them to inspect the issue during the inspection.
Call Savvy Houz Inspections on 021 143 2995

Savvy Houz Inspections is the brain child of Dean Norrie who after finishing working as a project manager on the earthquake home repair programme in 2016 started his own business with a vision of “keeping it simple savvy” (KISS) by producing detailed pre-purchase house inspection reports fast using a digital mobile app, under promising and over delivering with a 24 hour turn-around, easy to read, colour coded digital report achieving a better work-life balance and outstanding financial results.
 
Our building reports are in high demand. Savvy Houz Inspections are extremely popular with buyers, sellers, agents, banks and insurers. 

Call today on 021 143 2995
www.savvyhouz.co.nz

Buying your first house is an exciting milestone. You will have made what, for most people, is the largest financial investment of your life. You’re no longer at the mercy of landlords and you’re free to turn your house into a home.
In all the excitement, it can be tempting to rush the purchase process and overlook some important steps, like properly inspecting the building. Look at it this way: You shouldn’t buy a used car without giving it a test drive and getting a qualified mechanic to give it a look over.
Well, a house is a much larger investment and if you buy a lemon it can be much more expensive to fix. That’s why it’s important to complete a thorough personal inspection, building inspection and pest inspection before making an offer.

Once settlement takes place, any problems with the property immediately become your responsibility. And that could mean tens of thousands of dollars in repair and maintenance work that you have to shell out on top of the purchase price.
To help out all the first home buyers out there, we have some useful information about how to get the most out of your inspection opportunities before buying your first home.

Personal inspection
Once you’re seriously considering buying a property, your personal inspection needs to reflect this. It’s a different process to the initial open inspection. While it’s important you still like the overall feel of the house, this is the time to take a serious and focused look at the potential trouble areas and money pits around the house. 

Some key things to look out for are:

• Water stains, dampness or mould on walls and ceilings
• Sagging ceilings or buckling and cracking walls
• Windows and doors opening and closing easily
• Light switches working
• Outside drainage areas
• Taps working
• Rotting floorboards that may be hidden under carpets
• Any obvious damage and issues, like exposed wiring or evidence of pests

Be critical about the place, as much as you may love it. Finding faults with a property before you buy can save you a lot of stress in the long run.

Building inspection
While it’s important to look the property over yourself, unless you’re an expert you won’t have a good idea what you’re looking for. What may look like a great house in perfect condition could be hiding a whole bunch of structural issues.  That’s why it’s vital to get a professional building inspection from a licensed building inspector.
A building inspector will thoroughly check the property inside and out. They will examine all accessible structural elements, outbuildings like sheds, and external structures like fences and retaining walls. Once the inspection is complete, they will provide a detailed report that highlights any major damage or essential repairs, as well as recommending other minor repairs and even documenting any potential repair or maintenance risks.
Your building inspector should always be a third-party professional – that is, someone not recommended by or affiliated with the seller or their agents. This way you can be assured of a completely independent and unbiased report.
Any major issues with the property should be presented to the seller before purchase. You can then negotiate to have these issues fixed before purchase or adjust the purchase price accordingly.

Don’t take the risk

If you think you’ve found your dream home, you can’t afford the risk of it turning into a nightmare. Hiring the professionals to carry out the building inspections and pest inspections can help you to make the most informed purchase and avoid the massive repair and maintenance costs that come with buying a shoddy property.

Call us now on 021 143 2995 - Savvy Houz Inspections , www.savvyhouz.co.nz

Major issues identified in the subfloor after the property had been purchased.

A homeowner who bought a house only to discover more than $100,000 worth of damage has warned property-hunters to pay closer attention to their pre-purchase inspection reports.
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A building and pest report, provided by the selling agent, did not highlight any significant issues, but noted that the building inspector had been unable to access parts of the property. A second report found significant termite damage, structural damage and borer damage.
“The report basically said most things were mostly fine, with the caveat that they hadn’t looked underneath the house,” he said. “Not being an experienced property buyer, I assumed they didn’t need to look under the house because there was no reason.”

The original report, which covered the “roof void, internal area, external area and extension”, warned that areas not inspected included “the entire subfloor” and “various areas of the roof void”.
“A subfloor void appears to be present however, we were unable to located (sic) an entry point and therefore no inspection of the subfloor area was carried out,” the report said.
“It is possible that an entry point may exist below floor coverings (if fitted). It is possible that building defects may be present below inaccessible areas however, no comment is made or opinion offered on any area where full access is not available.

“We strongly recommend that access be gained to all inaccessible areas. Access should be gained to enable a further inspection to be carried out prior to purchase.”
The second report was obtained by another potential buyer, who opted not to bid based on the damage uncovered. That report inspected the “building interior, building exterior, roof exterior, roof space, subfloor space, outbuildings and the site”. “Various areas have significant termite damage,” the report said.
“Previous attempts had been made to support the middle bearer under the second bedroom with brackets that have been bolted into the brick foundation walls. Despite this, the bedroom floor is not level.
“(The) timber bearer below the front area of the living/lounge room has been totally eaten by termites. The centre of the lounge room is no longer supported in some areas by this bearer. It needs replacing urgently.
“To help protect against financial loss, it is essential that the building owner immediately control or rectify any evidence of destructive timber pest activity or damage identified in this report.”
Under changes introduced in August 2016, real estate agents are required to inform potential buyers if a pre-purchase building and pest inspection report or strata and community scheme report has already been carried out.

Buyers may then opt to access an already available report, usually at a reduced cost, instead of commissioning their own report — giving building inspectors an extra incentive to get in first.
In an email to one real estate agent, the inspector who carried out the original report on the St Peters home urged the agent to put him on the list early, pointing out that “per the new legislation”, a report already carried out by “any other company, and there are some pedantic ones out there” must be listed “to your vendor’s detriment”.

He added that his inspectors “don’t put in any prices on repairs” and were “not pedantic or overly critical of the property”, as that was “such a headache for agents with some inspectors”.
The St Peters buyer admitted he should have been more careful.
“It’s at least partly my fault, I’m happy to admit that, but it’s crap that these types of inspection reports are allowed,” he said. He added that he didn’t bother seeking legal advice.
“Part of the problem with these reports is every second sentence is a caveat,” he said. “They limit liability as much as possible. I saw [legal action] as potentially a bit of a money pit that could go nowhere.”
The owner of the company which carried out the original inspection strongly defended his report. “There was no access to the subfloor ... and another inspection was recommended after access has been made available,” he said in an email.

“This is the first we have heard of it. If the purchaser actually read the report and followed our recommendations ... before purchase of the property as recommended ... then any termite or borer damage in the subfloor area would have come to light, and any legal advice that he would have had then (sic) made him aware of this fact.

“That’s why we have heard nothing about it and will be watching closely if any we take any action (sic) if defamed in any way as we stand fully by our report.”

Rhys Rogers, chief executive of sharing economy site Before You Bid, a platform where buyers can share costs and rate inspectors, said consumers should be very careful doing their research. “There are two things which can help consumers work out whether they’re getting a report that’s worthwhile,” he said.
“One is to check on Google to see the inspector’s rating. Two is to check if the inspector got under the house and into the roof, because that’s where most defects are, that’s where the hard work is crawling into these spaces.

“(If they don’t), it’s a pretty obvious sign that the inspector might just be ticking the box — there should be a good reason. Sometimes they’ve got quite a few disclaimers in these reports, they can argue that on the day there was no access to the subfloor because there was a piece of furniture in the way.”
If the report has gross omissions the buyer can make an insurance claim against the inspector, but Mr Rogers said underinsurance was also a big issue.
“There are estimates that 70 per cent of the industry aren’t properly insured,” he said.
A spokeswoman for Fair Trading/Consumer Law, any pre-purchase building and pest inspection reports must comply with “consumer guarantees in relation to the provision of services”.
“Services must be provided with acceptable care and skill or technical knowledge and taking all necessary steps to avoid loss and damage, fit for the purpose or give the results agreed to, (and) delivered within a reasonable time,” she said.

“Fair Trading strongly recommends that vendors only use consultants that have adequate insurance cover, particularly for professional indemnity.”
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Book a subfloor robot inspection today! 021 143 2995 - Call Savvy Houz – Inspect it to protect it! 

This blog post highlights some of the most important building issues and risks. We recommend you research further, before making an offer?

built before 1914:
Look out for:

• Some of these houses were built close together, so it can be difficult to access the side walls for maintenance and repairs.
• The piles and foundations under the house can deteriorate over time, so check they are still in good condition and are properly braced for earthquakes.
• Check for obvious structural issues, for example, sloping or sagging floors, cracks in the walls and buckling near windows and doors.
• Look at the gutters, as internal gutters can be prone to leaking.

• Is the building heritage listed? If so, this may affect what renovations you can carry out on the property.
• Does the building have the original wiring? It may need replacing and there may not be enough power outlets and light fittings.
• Borer can be found in building timber and can cause structural issues.
• Has the plumbing been updated? If new plumbing was added in the 1980s, look out for Dux Quest piping, which may cause problems.
• Does the house have insulation and, if so, is it up to current standards?
• Check the levels of natural light in the rooms.

Timber built villas were the most popular design style in this period. The bungalow style started to appear in New Zealand from 1910. A home built before 1914 will have plenty of history and character features, but it can also come with issues if it hasn’t been properly maintained over the years.

Timber:
Look out for:

• When was the cladding last painted or stained? Treatments last 10 to 20 years and can be costly to re-apply.
• Is the cladding constructed from sheets or weatherboards? What type of timber is it? Some types require more maintenance than others, for example, cedar.
• Can you see any rot, mould or mildew? Pay special attention to windows and door frames.
• Has the building had issues with borer in the past? Can you see any borer holes?
• If wooden cladding looks faded or has mould or moss growing on it, there could be damage to the cladding.
• Can you see any cladding that is splitting or warping?
• Can you see any bubbling in the paint? This can be a sign that the wood is rotting underneath.
• Check there is easy access to areas of the building exterior that need regular maintenance.
• Check that the cladding isn’t in contact with the ground or plants – moisture from these can cause damage.
• Consider getting a property inspection — this will help you identify any potential issues with the cladding and should give you a good indication of what maintenance you’ll need to do in the future.
• Talk to the real estate agent (or the seller, if it is a private sale) to see what information they can provide about the construction, maintenance and treatment of the cladding.

 
Timber — including treated plywood and engineered wood products. A wooden exterior or cladding needs ongoing maintenance, and there may be problems if it hasn’t been properly and regularly maintained.

Extensions and renovations:
Check that any extensions or renovations have building consent.
You can check by comparing the current layout with the floor plan on the property file held by the council. Any differences between the two should have the proper building consents. If the owner or a previous owner has added a deck, garage or sleepout, check that the consents are on file.
It may be possible to get building consent on an extension or renovation after you have purchased the property, but it is not certain and it could be expensive if extra work is needed to meet required standards.
Check the foundations of the extension. If the foundations are different from the rest of the house, they may move in different ways in an earthquake. Also check that the foundations and the connections between them are in good condition.

Work that should be consented:
Building work that may require consent includes:

• alterations, additions and many structural repairs
• demolition of buildings and structures
• the removal or relocation of buildings
• site work, for example, earthworks for a new extension
• fences over 2 metres high
• installing a swimming pool or spa pool.
• You can find information about any building consents for extensions and renovations in the LIM.

• The council will also hold more detail, including the plans, in the property file.
• If you have found work that has not been consented, check that the property can still be insured.

Roof material
Look out for:

• Waves or wrinkles in flat areas of metal roofing may have been caused by stress and buckling when the roof was installed.
• Nails or screws hold the roof and flashings in place. If they fail, the roof becomes vulnerable to damage — check that fastenings have been properly sealed. Nails, screws and washers may need to be tightened or replaced.
• Weather, debris from trees or walking on the roof can cause damage and reduce weathertightness — can you see any visible dents?
• Corrosion can occur from salt, dust or sand deposits catching under the ridge flashings — check the roof ridges.
• Check for blocked downpipes or guttering, which can lead to water damage to the roof and foundations.
• An old TV aerial that is no longer required may not be maintained and could break in a storm or cause damage to the roof.

• If you’re getting a property inspection from a qualified property inspector, you need to know if a roof assessment is included — most building reports don’t include the inspector climbing up on the roof to inspect it.
• Check the inspection includes the ceiling space.
• Some real estate agencies use drone photography — if you have aerial shots of the property, ask the property inspector to zoom in and look for problems.
• If the property is on a slope, try and get as high up as possible to see the top of the roof. In multi-storied properties look out of the window to check the roof below.
• Talk to the real estate agent (or the seller if it is a private sale) to see what information they have about the roof’s history, construction and any maintenance that has been carried out.

 
Iron and steel — including corrugated and long-run. These roofs last between 40 and 70 years, depending on what they’re made of, the environment and regular maintenance.
An iron or steel roof will need to be repainted or re-chipped every 10 years to ensure the roof remains watertight.

Hillside Slopes:

• Does the property suffer from surface flooding? When you walk around the property, is the soil spongy, soft or uneven underfoot?
• Are the floors level? You can test this by putting down a marble and seeing if it rolls across the floor, which may indicate the building is subsiding or was built out of tolerance.
• Can you see any cracks in the walls, ceilings or exterior from the building moving?
• Check if any of the neighbouring hills, buildings or trees affect the sun on the property.

If the property is near to hills, think about how that will affect how much sun the property gets at different times of the year. Check the orientation of the property with respect to the winter sun.
 
Earthquake Damage EQC and Liquefaction:
These features can make some buildings more susceptible to liquefaction-induced damage.

• Thin unreinforced concrete slab foundations — the slab can crack as liquefaction-induced holes or settlement form under the slab.
• Buildings with irregular design shapes or several split levels — the irregular shape can mean different parts of the building sway or shake at different rates during an earthquake causing stress and damage to the building.
• Sticking doors and windows and gaps around frames can indicate building movement.

Flooding Zones:
Look out for:

• Water stains on external wall cladding, fencing and foundations.
• Cracks in the walls and at stress points, for example, doorways and windows.
• Soggy skirting boards and crumbling interior linings.
• Sticking doors and windows and gaps around frames can indicate building movement.

 
Types of ownership:
Freehold Is also known as fee simple and is the most simple and common ownership type in New Zealand.
Freehold
If you have a freehold property, you own the land and (generally) anything built on the land unless there are any registered or unregistered interests. Examples of interests that might restrict the use of the property include:

• easements that give neighbouring property owners or utility providers the right to use part of your land to access or connect to services
• covenants that limit what type of building can be on the property
• restrictions under the Resource Management Act 1991
• whether the land is Māori freehold land.

Ask your lawyer or conveyancer to review the record of title (also known as the certificate of title), which contains the property’s legal description, details of its ownership and the rights and/or restrictions registered against it.

A cross-lease property, you own two interests in the property — a share of the freehold title in common with the other cross-leaseholders and a leasehold interest in the particular area and building that you occupy.
 
A cross-lease title may include a plan showing the footprint of the building you are entitled to occupy (sometimes called the flats plan). Check the plan to identify:

• the physical location and footprint of the property you are looking at
• areas that any cross-leaseholders have the exclusive right to use
• any common or shared areas.
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Cross-lease ownership usually means that any significant changes made to any area you are entitled to use exclusively (including the building you occupy or a separate garden) or to the shared areas must be agreed upon by all or a majority of the owners.

This means that, depending on the terms of the cross-lease, you may need to obtain the other owners’ consent before painting the exterior or making other non-structural changes to the building you occupy or before making structural changes, for example, building a deck or putting up a fence. There may be restrictions on what you can do with the property under the terms of the lease registered on your title.
Ask your lawyer or conveyancer to review the record of title (also known as the certificate of title), which contains the property’s legal description, details of its ownership and the rights and/or restrictions registered against it.

Have questions about a property?

• Ask the real estate agent (or the seller if it is a private sale).
• Review the relevant documents, for example, the LIM, property file and title.
• Ask your lawyer or conveyancer to review the documents — allow plenty of time for a thorough review.
• Ask the local council about anything you can’t find in the documents.
• Check the local council files, including the LIM report.
• Consider getting a property inspection by a qualified property inspector.
• Ask the real estate agent (or the seller if it is a private sale).
• The LIM will provide information on issues with the land, stormwater and sewage drainage.
• Check the property file at the council to look for information on where the drainage pipes are.
• Visit the property when it’s raining. This will give you a better idea of how/where the water drains to/from.

This is one of the biggest decisions that you will ever make. Get it right first time with a Savvy Houz Inspections Builders Report, we are totally committed to making sure that you understand the condition of the property and expert advice before you go unconditional.

Planning for settlement day when buying

There are a number of things you need to do before settlement day to make sure everything runs smoothly.Summary of important things to know

• You should arrange to inspect the property before settlement day. This is the pre-settlement inspection.
• You need to make sure your purchase finance is ready before settlement day.
• Your property insurance needs to be in place for settlement.
• Property settlement is largely a legal process. Your lawyer or conveyancer will help you.
• The information on this page may not cover everything you need to know. You should always get advice from your own lawyer or conveyancer.
  
  Pre-settlement inspection
• The sale and purchase agreement provides the chance for you to check the property and chattels are in the same condition they were when you signed the agreement to buy the property and that the seller has met any conditions listed in the agreement. The inspection is not an opportunity to uncover problems that existed when you signed the agreement.
• Contact the agent to arrange the pre-settlement inspection. It should be at least 2 working days before the settlement date so there is time for the seller to address any issues.
  If the property is tenanted, be aware that extra time may be needed for the landlord to get the tenant's consent for the inspection.
  If it’s important to you that the property is clean and ready for you to move in, you can include this as a condition in the sale and purchase agreement, for example, by stating that the house is to be commercially cleaned.
  
  Things to look for in the pre-settlement inspection
  
  
• It’s a good idea to take a copy of the sale and purchase agreement with you to the pre-settlement inspection so you can refer to details of any conditions and chattels.
• Check that the property is in the same condition as it was when you signed the sale and purchase agreement.
• Make sure that all the chattels listed on the sale and purchase agreement are in the property and are in good working order (unless it has been agreed and documented otherwise).
• Check that fixtures such as lights and curtains work too.
• Check if there is any property damage since the sale and purchase agreement was signed, for example storm or earthquake damage, or damage caused when the previous occupants moved out.

• If the seller agreed to carry out maintenance or repairs to the property as part of the sale and purchase agreement conditions, check that this has been done.
• Check that all the previous occupant’s belongings and rubbish have been removed.
• Make sure that all keys, garage door remotes and security alarm codes are accounted for and will be available to you on settlement day.

If you find issues during the pre-settlement inspection

If you find damage during your pre-settlement inspection that wasn’t present when you signed the sale and purchase agreement or if a chattel is missing, contact your lawyer or conveyancer immediately. Your lawyer or conveyancer will outline your options and can negotiate with the seller’s lawyer or conveyancer to rectify the situation.

Settled.govt.nz

Contact the agent to arrange the pre-settlement inspection. It should be at least 2 working days before the settlement date so there is time for the seller to address any issues.
If the property is tenanted, be aware that extra time may be needed for the landlord to get the tenant's consent for the inspection.

If it’s important to you that the property is clean and ready for you to move in, you can include this as a condition in the sale and purchase agreement, for example, by stating that the house is to be commercially cleaned.