Most important checklist points for buying Units

Hi All,

Newbie/FHB question.

If you ought to buy a Unit to Live, what would be in your checkist of important things?

As an example, I was told to avoid anything over 5 levels, get a good reputable company (specially of they were built after 2002), avoid main roads.

Thank you,

Dave

 

• Avoid most new builds
• Avoid areas that are mainly highrises, you want a mix of homes + highrises
• Pools are ok, but avoid indoor pools - cost of repairs can be astronomical
• Avoid elevators
• If there is only one bathroom / toilet for a non-studio apartment, it can't be an ensuite - you don't want room mates or guests to have to come into your private space to use the toilet
• If there is a garbage chute, you don't want it to be right outside your door
• Preferably North-West facing. East sucks. I have no idea why people talk about the virtues of East facing properties. You get a tiny bit of sunlight in the morning then it's gone.
• You don't want another balcony facing you, or one that is "stepped" above yours. You'll never feel comfortable using it if you're always with that feeling that someone is watching or listening to you.
• You never want a bedroom without a window, I didn't think it was legal to advertise a space as a "room" without windows but they're common
• Make sure it's a real kitchen, not a kitchenette. You will grow tired of a kitchenette really fast.
• These days people want kitchens that open up into the living room, not completely enclosed kitchens that are like a separate room. Some of the older apartments have this style of kitchen and I think they will become less and less popular over time IMO.
• If there is no BIR, make sure there's at least a sensible spot for one (or a detached one). Sometimes you assume it'll be fine but when it comes to installing one, you'll realise the room layout is just terrible and there's just no good place to put one.
• If there is no little laundry or European laundry, make sure there is room for one. Some really old apartments will not have any logical place for a washing machine (they are sometimes external to the unit) ...or a fridge, believe it or not. I was looking at a stunning art deco apartment recently and it literally had no space for a washing machine or fridge...anywhere. It was very awkward.
• Pay attention to the garage size. Some of them are up to 1m longer than normal but no one ever puts a spotlight on this. So there might be a lot of space to have a tool cupboard or something like that. Very handy.
• Put some thought into how you will position your couch and TV. Believe it or not, I find 60% of apartments have almost no sensible spot to put a couch and TV. No matter what you do, it'll be un-workable. Take this one for example: https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-burwood-134332698 it's a wonderful building, great location, and the floor plan looks perfectly fine, right? No, look closer; there is literally no way to comfortably position a TV and couch. I've gone to visit it many times and I can't get it to work. Once I noticed this, I realised SO many apartments suffer from the same issue.

I'll add more if I think of em.

 

Thank you!!! Excellent list.

 

Wow, what Jaybean said.

Simplified.

- buy old
- aspect really important
- think privacy
- internal laundry
- lock up garage.

Enjoy!

 

Regarding my point #8, this is an example of a terrible set of balconies.

https://rimh2.domainstatic.com.au/7....com/2016494596_6_1_200915_060021-w4134-h2756

It has a stepped balcony above, and a ton of other balconies and windows facing it. I'd never be able to sit there and relax. You'd never expect full privacy in an apartment, but this sort of thing takes it to a new level.

 

Make sure you measure your garage space and can open your car doors to get out when there are vehicles parked each side - with the larger cars we use these days I have witnessed what happens when you buy and your space is not big enough!

 

Some extra tips:

• If you're buying on the top floor, be mindful of noise. The top floor can be home to industrial sized AC units and other very noisy utilities.
  
• If you have a pet, make sure the owners corp allows it. In fact, double check that they will consider most applications seriously. I was recently told the owners corp of an apartment I wanted to buy would consider pets, but the agent confided in me that the reality was they reject 99.99% of people anyway so don't even bother. What a ****ing joke. Imagine spending a million bucks on a place only to find out the "written application" you were asked to submit was basically going to be tossed in the bin anyway.

 

Ha! I just came here to post this:

• As Y-man said, this can be an issue. But on the flip side, you may not want your apartment to end up looking like a shanty town, so this might actually be desirable for you. Think about what you want, and enquire accordingly. One place I went to see had extremely strict rules about ANYTHING being put on the balcony, even plants. So while the whole building looked extremely slick, the balcony was basically unusable...no chairs, tables, bbq's, plants. Just stand there and look out.
• Think about the type of balustrade you want. I hate ones that are like an open grill, because it means you can very accidentally allow something to roll off your balcony. I'm a nervous wreck about leaving anything on the balcony, which is not a good feeling to have. When you're bbq'ing or relaxing, you don't want to be thinking at every minute "is an onion or a spatula or some random object going to roll off and fall 5 levels to kill someone?". I want something that is sealed at least for the first half with an open grill at the top. Here's an example: https://rimh2.domainstatic.com.au/K...s.com/2016509244_1_1_200923_014523-w1200-h800 (closed balustrades on the left apartments, open ones on the right)

 

Some really good info here. This is what I look for in Sydney

- Smaller boutique block
- Built early to mid last century, period charm a bonus (eg art deco)
- Natural light is hugely important, ideally via large north facing windows- Living in a small dark unit is depressing.
-Top floor can mean less common walls/ noise.
- Good floor plan (note space for a dining table)
- Storage options- rooms big enough to implement built ins, if not already there
- Sunroom is a great addition, often found in some of the older units.


I'll go against the grain and say parking isn't mandatory if you are buying in a great location (eg Eastern Beaches- walk to beach). In most areas though, I agree its a must have.

Internal laundry not a must have for me either, as long as you can do a Euro style option. What I am seeing is people turning the internal laundry into a powder room/ 2nd wc, which I think is a great value add.

 

In terms of livability there are no shortage of cold dark units, but with the sunny north facing ones also be mindful they can turn into an oven in summer. Some developments wont allow the installation of air conditioning.

If the unit is small check it has what you would reasonable expect such as room for a fridge, and pantry etc. Ive lucked out on both of those before.

Parking is must have for me, but in any case it is one of the things that will be a potential deal breaker for people. Most other issues can be compromised on, but parking cant be if you need it.
Also take note of whether the parking is a stacker unit, allocated bays (preferable) or scatter parking (avoid).

I rent but I would hate to deal with some stratas as an owner so do your homework there.

I wouldn't immediately discount a main road especially in a good location, but dont be the unit over looking the main road.

Easy access to transport is essential (preferably a train line in Sydney). If you dont use it your future tenants will.

Consider where the unit is located in the complex. Next to bin bay? above the parking compound? etc etc

I'll second what was said above about the laundry. Nobody wants to have to go to the communal laundromat.

 

What strategies would you recommend to learn more about the strata?

 

I've never owned a unit (only rented) so someone else would be in a better position to comment.

Basically the financial elements such as the sinking fund and expected works, and the non financials such as rules and limitations in areas such as aircon installation etc.

The management structure maybe worth looking at too. I was merely a tenant in one small complex but there was a battle going on with some works to the common areas approved by a couple of owners that for whatever reason didnt require the consent or have the support of the others.

 

Ah I see. What I was after was how you find out whether there are any weird politics or power-hungry a-holes on the OC. As I posted about previously:

"If you have a pet, make sure the owners corp allows it. In fact, double check that they will consider most applications seriously. I was recently told the owners corp of an apartment I wanted to buy would consider pets, but the agent confided in me that the reality was they reject 99.99% of people anyway so don't even bother. What a ****ing joke. Imagine spending a million bucks on a place only to find out the "written application" you were asked to submit was basically going to be tossed in the bin anyway."

Apparently that was down to a few a-holes on the OC that didn't like animals even though the bylaws were open to residents having pets. This is the sort of thing that would be good to find out but I have no idea how other than just talking to other residents and getting a feel for things.

 

Yea I'm really not sure, and in any case most apartment complexes have a large number of renters who like myself are completely disengaged and really do not care, nor do the absent owners. As a result a few clicky individuals can probably drive thier own agenda.

I do wonder what the worst that can happen and how enforceable some of the limitations are, ie you arrive with a pet you are not supposed to have or hang your washing on the balcony when you're not supposed to (guilty).
I've lived in units that required owners Corp notification that I was moving in/out. I didnt bother (wouldnt know how to reach them anyway) and nobody tried to stop me come moving day.

 

Yep, not seeing these shared laundry spaces used much (in the areas I go to), especially in current covid environment. Im actually seeing a few of the old shared laundry spaces being turned into caged storage areas (allocated by lot # and formalised via strata).

 

Yeah 9/10 people just make a European laundry.

 

yeah good question. I was once told this lady wasn’t allowed pets and she threatened to kill herself. After that...no one said anything. I mean what can you say to that?