How do I know how old is my property?

Discussion in 'Property Management' started by Ko Ko Naing, 5th Feb, 2016.

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  1. Ko Ko Naing

    Ko Ko Naing Well-Known Member

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    Hi,
    I am feeling silly to ask this question. Many times, insurance companies often asked me which year the house was build in. I was always not sure which year my properties were built. I was told that the council might be able to help. But I'd just like to know which tools or techniques other investors used to know the year a property was built. Especially, we have been buying established properties, meaning that there have been many owners even before us.

    Cheers!
     
  2. No Probs

    No Probs Well-Known Member

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    It's usually on the plans in your contract of sale I'm pretty sure.
     
  3. Peter_Tersteeg

    Peter_Tersteeg Mortgage Broker Business Member

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    You chop it down, count the number of rings and divide by 2. ;)

    If that doesn't work for you, take a look at the title, a copy is probably somewhere in the section 32. It won't tell you the age of the house (refer to the ring method), but it tells you when the land was titled which is a good indicator.
     
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  4. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    Have a look in the meter box. It's usually got a date installed, which is when the place was built. Unless it's been upgraded etc
     
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  5. Ko Ko Naing

    Ko Ko Naing Well-Known Member

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    I do have section 32 for those properties and I could see the dates on plan of subdivision. So can I safely assume that the houses must be built after that date?

    I tried looking at the valuation reports and some vaguely say "1900", which is impossible for my properties.
     
  6. Propertunity

    Propertunity Well-Known Member

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    You can simply walk into the council with your rates notice (to prove you are the owner) and ask. They will be able to see all the past building applications and any other additions applied for. Sometimes there is a sticker in the meter box from the original install (but not always). After that age can be narrowed down by brick colour or house design - but you have to be well versed in your area for this ie red textured brick was popular in the 1970's in my area. Blonde brick was 1960's and so on.
     
  7. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Get down to your local librewery and borrow a copy of Australia's Home by Robin Boyd. It has been out of print for at least 30 years.

    This is the quintessential reference for period architecture.
     
    Last edited: 5th Feb, 2016
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  8. Xenia

    Xenia Well-Known Member

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    You can take a guess by looking at the building style too.
     
  9. Ko Ko Naing

    Ko Ko Naing Well-Known Member

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    Thanks all for the replies!

    Now I can conclude that, for my VIC properties, I can take a look at section 32 and use the date on the plan of subdivision.

    Since there is no section 32 in QLD, is there any document I can use to guess the date? Contract of Sales doesn't seem to have any date regarding the building at all.
     
  10. Peter_Tersteeg

    Peter_Tersteeg Mortgage Broker Business Member

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    As I previously suggested, the title is a good source, but it really only tells you about the land, not the house. Asking the council is a good idea as well, but doesn't always work.

    I once asked a solicitor this question. His answer was simply estimating based on the architecture.
     
  11. WattleIdo

    WattleIdo midas touch

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    Apparently there is also a date on the tap somewhere, if it hasn't been changed. U less that's the meter that bshovel is referring to.
     
  12. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

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    Carbon dating.

    Or check under the house for what the builders discarded. An old newspaper or magazine could give an idea.

    A can of KB beer or pack of tens cigarettes and your in the seventies. An old cassette of Culture Club and it's the eighties. Any Lady Di memorabilia and its the nineties. Any discarded receipts with GST and it's from 2000 onwards.
     
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  13. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    You'd have a stash of vintage 'on the street' or that bunny magazine lying around in a box some where in the shed.
     
  14. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

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    I have your same problem too @cherubym....
     
  15. Davothegreat

    Davothegreat Well-Known Member

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    Check for a date on your sewer diagram. Your Council can tell you what year the sewer was connected on your street. If it was connected prior to the date on your sewer diagram then you can date your property from the sewer diagram date. Brisbane Council helped me date one of my IPs this way.
     
  16. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

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    I turned them into custom wallpaper.
     
  17. willair

    willair Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    There will be several ,the old paper yellow titles are the the most interesting from the start too the finish yesterday,and who held what and the after tax prices on sold data,and always ask the question,it's the questions you don't ask are the ones you will think about most..,.
     
  18. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Scratch & sniff?
     
  19. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

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    Didn't even need any glue.
     
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  20. DaveM

    DaveM Well-Known Member

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    Just ask your wife how old she is? :D
     

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