Buying a home: the condition checks that change the price

Structure and roof

• Diagonal cracks around windows and doors, and any crack you can push a coin into.
• Ceiling stains, sagging boards and fresh paint patches only on ceilings.
• Roof line sagging when viewed from the compound, and rusted or lifted sheets.
• Floor slabs that sound hollow, and tiling cracked in a straight line.

Systems

• Distribution board condition, socket count and whether earthing exists.
• Pump, tank and borehole age, plus water colour and smell.
• Soakaway and septic position, and when either was last emptied.
• Drainage around the building, and whether the compound sits above road level.

Boundary and access

• Does the fence match the survey plan, and has a neighbour encroached?
• Is the access road private, and who maintains it?
• Are there structures on the plot that were never approved?

Turn findings into price

A written condition report with photographs and repair estimates is the strongest negotiating tool a buyer has. Book a professional inspection before you sign, not after — and run the title checks in parallel.