You’ve found a (dream) house. You’ve saved a deposit. You’re finally ready to make the big jump.

Property Finance Processing Manager at bond originator ooba, Kay Geldenhuys, offers advice on what you should look out for before signing on the dotted line.

Patent defects
These are flaws that will be visible, like wall cracks, sagging gutters, broken windows and missing tiles. Whatever you do, don’t be fooled by the décor. Before negotiating any agreements be sure to acquaint yourself well with the property as there’s no way to claim you ‘didn’t see’ these problems.

Cracks in the walls
If you spot large cracks, you may want to get the experts in to analyse it, as these could be structural. This could impair the integrity of the wall structure and may be a sign of foundation failure or severe structural problems. Repairing these cracks could be very costly, so make sure they aren’t there when house-hunting.

Water pressure and geyser
Turn on taps to check water pressure and ask the agent to find out how old the geyser is. If it’s an old geyser, ensure that it is covered by your insurance policy. Also be sure to check the toilet for any leaks after having flushed it.

Neighbours
Establishing everything about your prospective neighbourhood is vitally important, especially your soon-to-be immediate neighbours. You’ll know in a matter of minutes whether or not the neighbourhood is for you. If you’re looking for a quiet home and the neighbours have small children or teens frequently visiting then you may want to reconsider. From very early on establish whether or not small businesses or crèches are being run within the neighbourhood, as this may also lead to future disturbances.

Approved plans for alterations
Consult the local municipality as to whether or not the building on the property is approved and falls within building regulations. Once you have bought the property and you later discover that certain illegal alterations were carried out, you would be liable to rectify these. This would include application costs for approval of plans or it could even result in the illegal structure being demolished at your expense.

Location
A very important fact to remember is that property should be an investment, which will continue to grow in value. This makes location extremely important. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Look at the surrounding areas. What sort of infrastructure is there? How good or bad is the security?
• Will you be comfortable commuting?
• Even if you don’t have children, buy in a good school district. If you ever decide to sell, your property value would increase, as school districts are top priority for homebuyers.
• A well-located property gives you better chances of securing home loan finance.