What to Look for at an Open Home: Australian Buyer Checklist
A practical open-home checklist for Australian buyers: what to record, questions to ask and when to arrange independent building, pest and legal checks.
An open home helps you decide whether a property deserves deeper investigation. It does not tell you whether the structure, waterproofing, wiring, plumbing or timber is sound. Use this checklist to record what you can see, then give those notes to the people doing the legal and technical checks.
This guide combines our former open-home checklist and room-by-room article into one page. It is based on current buyer guidance from ASIC's Moneysmart, the NSW Government and Consumer Affairs Victoria. Their guidance is consistent on the important point: your own walkthrough is useful, but an independent professional inspection is a separate step.
Before the inspection
Read the listing and any documents the agent has supplied before you arrive. Take a phone or notebook, ask permission before photographing inside, and use the same checklist for every property. A second visit at a different time can reveal traffic, noise, light and drainage conditions that one short inspection misses. If you are deciding whether another visit would add useful evidence, read our guide to the best time to attend or revisit an open home.
Prepare
- Save the listing, floor plan and advertised inclusions
- Write down your non-negotiables before seeing the styling
- Ask whether you may take photographs and test taps, doors and windows
- Record the inspection date, weather and who attended
- Leave time to walk the street and immediate surroundings
Outside the property
Start from the street and look at the whole building before focusing on details. You are collecting questions, not diagnosing the cause of a crack or stain. Note anything uneven, damaged or recently patched and ask an inspector to assess it.
External walkthrough
- Roof, gutters and downpipes: visible damage, sagging, corrosion or overflow staining
- External walls: cracking, movement, fresh patching or persistent damp marks
- Ground and drainage: water falling towards the home, pooling areas or blocked drains
- Decks, balconies and stairs: movement, damaged timber, corrosion or loose balustrades
- Retaining walls and fences: leaning, cracking or obvious movement
- Nearby conditions: traffic, aircraft, industry, steep slopes, waterways and large trees
Inside the property
Move through the home in a fixed order. Open what the agent permits you to open, look behind curtains and inside cupboards, and note smells as well as visible damage. Do not enter a roof space, crawl under a floor or touch an electrical installation during an open home.
Room-by-room checks
- Doors and windows open, close and lock without obvious binding
- Walls and ceilings show no unexplained stains, bulges, wide cracks or fresh isolated paint
- Floors feel stable and do not show unexplained lifting, softness or movement
- Under-sink cupboards are dry and free of swelling or persistent odour
- Bathroom and laundry grout, sealant and visible surfaces show no persistent damp or mould
- Taps, toilets and visible drains operate if the agent permits testing
- Built-in storage has no damp smell or discolouration on rear walls
- Fixed items you expect to remain are identified for the contract
A visible symptom is not a diagnosis
A stain may be old or active; a sticking door may reflect humidity or building movement. Record the symptom accurately and let an appropriately qualified inspector determine its cause and significance.
Questions and records
Ask short, specific questions and request documents rather than relying on a verbal assurance. Disclosure rules differ by state and sale method, so have a solicitor or licensed conveyancer explain the contract and seller disclosure material that applies to the property.
Ask the selling agent
- Are any building, pest, strata or specialist inspection reports available?
- What renovations, additions or repairs have been completed, and what approvals are available?
- Is the seller aware of water entry, termite treatment, structural work or insurance claims?
- Which fixtures, appliances and other items are included in the sale?
- Is the property tenanted, and what occupancy arrangements are proposed at settlement?
- What documents support any claim made about the building or recent work?
In NSW, when a prospective buyer asks for the contract, the agent must tell them about previous property inspection reports commissioned for the property. The NSW Government inspection-report guide explains what a standard report covers and its limits. Rules elsewhere are different; use the regulator and adviser for the state or territory where the property is located.
When to bring in a professional
Government buyer guidance recommends considering an independent, suitably qualified building inspector, surveyor or architect before signing. A pest inspection is a distinct check. Reports have a defined scope and may exclude inaccessible or specialist areas, so read the exclusions and ask whether further assessment is recommended.
Timing matters. At an auction there is generally no cooling-off period and the purchase is not normally made subject to finance or inspection, so arrange contract advice and inspections before bidding. For a private sale, do not assume a standard cooling-off period or an oral promise protects you; have your adviser confirm the written conditions before you sign.
Treat the open home as triage. If you remain interested, obtain the contract, verify seller documents, arrange the inspections appropriate to the property and have a solicitor or licensed conveyancer advise you before you commit.
Compare properties consistently
After leaving, score the home while the details are fresh: condition questions, location, layout, likely work, documents still missing and the next professional check. Keep observations separate from assumptions. For the wider legal and financial process, use the property due-diligence checklist and the building and pest inspection guide.
General information only. This checklist cannot identify concealed defects, confirm compliance or replace a professional inspection, contract review or advice about your circumstances. Last substantively updated 24 August 2026.