What should you ignore at an open home?

Before you buy real estate in Surfers Paradise, or anywhere for that matter, it's highly recommended that you attend the open home. If the property passes your personal test, then ideally you will invest in the services of a professional to ensure that you're making an informed decision.

You can learn so much about the property, essentially trying before you're buying. According to a report from the Archicentre, around 30 per cent of homes are sold with faults that could cost thousands of dollars to repair, while on average more than 80 per cent of Australians don't bother with a professional inspection. 

These statistics justify not only the importance of your own inspection at the open home, but also the cost of a builders and termite report. However, while your eyes are peeled for any potential faults, there are a number of things that could potentially turn you off that you should ignore.

The colours

The floor plan is perfect, the yard is extensive and the location is a prime piece of Main Beach real estate, but why the heck are the walls hideously bright pink? The colour of a home has the ability to alter your mood and ultimately your final decision.

Turn your vision black and white and focus only on the structure of the home and whether it suits your requirements. Painting your Surfers Paradise property to your desired colour is something that can be done within a few hours, and at minimal cost.

The same goes for wallpaper. If the current decor is adorned with flying farm animals on a beige background, it's not hard to tear down the pigs, cows and chickens and start again.

The carpet

If the ginger shag pile carpet from the 70's is acting as a deterrent, don't forget that there are a number of relatively cheap and easy options available to you when it comes to flooring for your Surfers Paradise property.

Whether you pull the carpet up to reveal the floorboards, which you can then sand and polish for a more modern look, cover it with new carpet or conversely, lay down some vinyl 'wood look' panels.

The funky smell

The home's distinctive musk has got you pinching your nose, are you going to let that put you off? The important thing to remember is that there is always a source behind the smell, and therefore with a simple spring clean you should be able to find and remove it.

This is barring serious mould damage of course. A report from the World Health Organisation asserts that mould and dampness affects between 10 – 50 per cent of Australian homes. If that is the offender behind the smell, it's probably a good idea to move on to another home.

Street appeal

If the first thought that enters your mind when you approach the property isn't an enthusiastic 'wow', never fear as minor renovations can make all the difference.

Close your eyes and envision how the Surfers Paradise property could be, not what it is. A new fence there, some greenery here and a new lick of paint for the front door, among other things. If you're worried about privacy, just remember that hedges make for good neighbours..

Be proactive

Ignoring these signs of a Surfers Paradise property's previous life can help you find your dream home. The vendors may not have had the money or willpower to spruce up and remodel their home for sale, but that isn't always a bad thing.

It can give you room to negotiate a better price so that you'll have more funds to remove the shaggy carpet and barn house wallpaper, not to mention the home's unique fragrance.

Buy Surfers Paradise property

If you would like to know more about purchasing real estate in Surfers Paradise, you should talk to the team at Ray White. Whether it's brand new or old and full of character,  we can assist you in finding your dream home.