Things to consider
Bridging finance
If you want to move into a new property before selling your current one, look into bridging finance. See our Bridging Finance Home Loan fact sheet for full details on this product. Bridging Finance is available to new and existing Adelaide Bank customers1.
Prepare your current property
Whether you plan to sell your current property, or rent it out, you’ll need to make sure it’s in top shape beforehand. Finishing off odd jobs and completing all projects can have a big impact on either the sale price or rent you can charge.
Legal advice
While you can act on your own behalf when purchasing property, the documentation and settlement process can be quite complicated and includes many legal requirements. We strongly recommend you use the services of a solicitor or conveyancer. These experts will ensure that everything runs smoothly and is completed correctly.
Take a good look
When you’ve found a home you like, give it a thorough inspection before committing to purchase. It’s a good idea to inspect the property a number of times at different times of the day. If you can, visit on a rainy day to check for leaks in the walls or guttering problems. Look under carpet and rugs to see the state of the floor beneath. Also check on the other side of bathroom walls for water damage and take a good look around for cracks or signs of movement on ceilings and walls.
Arrange a professional inspection
Organise a building and pest inspection. While they’ll cost a little upfront, inspections by trained professionals could help you avoid much higher costs in future.
Know what you want
Work out a list of what you want (and don’t want) from the house you buy to work through when you inspect properties. This will help you decide on must-have and nice-to-have features which could help when weighing up one house against another.
Insurance
You may need to consider three types of insurance when buying your next property; home insurance, landlords insurance (if you’re buying an investment property), and Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI).
- Home insurance (also home and contents insurance) is compulsory for any loan to be approved. Look for policies that provide free cover from when you sign the contract up until the day you move in.
- Landlords insurance covers your property if you’re renting it out. It not only covers the building itself, but can also provide cover for some of your belongings on the property and protect you for certain situations where the property cannot be leased.
- LMI is offered by an external provider and enables you to buy a home with less than a 20% deposit. An up-front fee (or premium) paid to the external provider insures your lender against default on your home loan.
Note: this does not constitute taxation advice and may not be relevant to everyone. You should obtain independent expert advice on your individual circumstances.
1 Customers are considered 'existing' where a lending facility has been held > 3 months funded by Bendigo and Adelaide Bank.
