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Buyer questions checklist

What to ask before buying, and which answers only an official source can settle.

Who you are dealing with

Who the registered owner is, according to the official record

Only an official source can settle this

Whether the person selling is the owner or acting for them

Only an official source can settle this

The broker's registration details, and how to check them

Only an official source can settle this

Who you would be paying, and on what basis

The property

Any outstanding service charge on the unit

Only an official source can settle this

Service charge per square foot and what it covers

Whether anything is owed against the property

Only an official source can settle this

What condition it will be handed over in

Your finance

Your pre-approval, what it is based on and when it lapses

What the lender needs before releasing funds

Valuation arrangements and who pays for them

What happens to your deposit if finance falls through

Costs and timing

Every fee you will be asked for, and who receives each one

When each amount is due, and to whom it is paid

What you have been asked to pay before anything is signed

Checking it yourself

Which of the answers above you can confirm through an official channel

Only an official source can settle this

Which questions you want a lawyer or adviser to look at

What you still do not have in writing

This is a list of questions worth asking. It is not due diligence, and working through it does not mean a purchase is sound. Anything badged above can only be settled by the relevant authority or a qualified adviser — ticking it here records that you asked, not that it is true.

Planning and information only. Figures are estimates based on what you entered, are not checked by HuntAHouse, and are not professional, legal or financial advice.