A real estate appraiser listed the types of properties she would never own and the steps she would take before signing on the dotted line.
Sydney’s Belinda Botzolis knows what to look for when it comes to homes – and has encouraged other buyers to be “picky” and not “settle for something because it’s cheap”.
When looking at potential homes, she will never consider a property directly across the street from a school, train tracks, or facing south.
“I’ve seen it all, I know what works and what doesn’t. There are certain things about a property, as an appraiser, I say a “categorical no,” Ms. Botzolis wrote in the caption of a video.
“Primarily because it triggers a risk rating for the bank in the appraisal report and primarily because it will affect the overall marketability of the property.”
For starters, Ms Botzolis said she would never buy a property without first arranging a building and pest inspection.
“Even if I buy a house to extensively renovate it or even tear it down and rebuild, a building and pest inspection is a must,” she said.
The report will highlight any possible concerns regarding structure, drainage, plumbing, termites and roof damage. This service usually costs between $500 and $800.
During this process, she will also have a builder or qualified professional interpret the report which will let her know if there are any “red flags” before making the purchase.
When it comes to homes that fall into strata – such as units or apartments – Ms Botzolis said she would still request a strata report.
“I want to know if there are any special levies coming, if there have been any in the past, if there are any problems in the building, because remember you share this building with everyone else owners of unit lots,” she said.
When looking at potential homes, Belinda Botzolis (pictured) would never consider a property directly opposite a school, train line or south-facing.
Ms Botzolis is only interested in a house if it faces north – or close to it – to benefit from “maximum sunlight”.
She also wouldn’t buy a property on a main road due to loud street noise, and wouldn’t consider buying one if it had overhead power lines or was near a substation.
As an appraiser, these aspects tend to “affect the market value and desirability of the home.”
Ms Botzolis added that she would not buy a house which backs onto a railway line, if it is too close to industrial work or if it is directly opposite a school as it is far too noisy.
As for non-essentials, she cheekily said she would need a house with a walk-in closet.
On TikTok, the video has since been viewed more than 11,400 times and others have thanked her for sharing her information.
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