Property Viewing & Inspection Tips Before You Buy
Look, check, and ask — before any money changes hands.
Photos can hide a lot. A structural crack painted over, a roof that leaks in heavy rain, or a flood-prone street often only surface once you're living there. This topic equips you to inspect thoroughly so there are no surprises later.
You'll find a practical checklist for the building's condition — from foundation, walls, and roof to the electrical and water systems — plus the things outside the house: road access, drainage, the land's height relative to the road, and the neighbourhood's reputation. For low-lying, water-rich Banjarmasin and its surrounds, we highlight how to assess flood and tidal risk.
We've also drawn up the questions worth asking the seller or agent, because an honest answer is often more valuable than a tidy appearance.
All articles in this topic
17 articles
Tips & Inspection Clean Water for a Home on Peatland: Mains, Bore Wells and Filtering
How to judge the water in a home on peatland: peat water traits, what to check on a viewing, filters such as aeration and carbon, rainwater and lab tests.
Tips & Inspection How to Check a Housing Developer's Legal Standing Before You Pay
How to check a housing developer's deed, NIB, master land title, KKPR, site plan and PBG, and the five PPJB conditions, before you pay a booking fee.
Tips & Inspection Checking the Electrics in a Resale House: Capacity, Wiring and PLN
How to check the electrics in a resale house: power level and meter, the MCB panel, wiring and earthing, warning signs, timber houses and the PLN account.
Tips & Inspection Checking for Termites and Wood Rot Before You Buy
How to check a house for subterranean termites and wood rot before you buy: the signs, where to look, ulin timber, treatment options and how to negotiate.
Tips & Inspection Buying Filled Land: How to Check Its Compaction and History
How to check filled land before you buy: settlement risk, the history of the fill, checks on site, soil tests, estimating fill volume, and drainage duties.
Tips & Inspection Reading Wall Cracks and Ground Settlement in a House
How to read wall cracks and settlement: hairline or structural cracks, sloping floors, sticking doors, soft-soil foundations and when to call an engineer.
Tips & Inspection Inspecting an Oil Palm Plantation Before You Buy
A checklist for inspecting an oil palm plantation: boundaries, planting year and seed, upkeep, weighbridge tickets, Ganoderma, mill access, peat and floods.
Tips & Inspection Landlocked Plots: The Risks and the Ways Out
The risks of landlocked land and the ways out: checking the access road's status, buying a strip for a road, a right-of-way deed, and advice for sellers.
Tips & Inspection The Key Questions to Ask a Property Agent
Essential questions to ask a property agent, grouped by legal status, physical condition, price, motive for selling, and fees, plus how to read a straight answer from an evasive one.
Tips & Inspection A Guide to Inspecting Vacant Land Before You Buy
A practical guide to inspecting vacant land before you buy: boundary markers, road access, contour and elevation, zoning, utilities, and the difference between ready and raw land.
Tips & Inspection How to Measure and Verify Land Area Against the Certificate
Why physical land area often differs from the certificate, how to read a Surat Ukur, simple ways to measure it yourself, and when to call in a licensed BPN surveyor.
Tips & Inspection Finding the Right Time to Buy a House
A practical guide to understanding when your finances and the market are ready for a home purchase, with inspection tips and what to check before you commit.
Tips & Inspection How to Check a House Water and Drainage System
A practical guide to inspecting a home's plumbing and drainage before you buy, helping you avoid costly surprises and flood-prone properties.
Tips & Inspection What to Check About a Home Neighborhood
A practical guide to evaluating the neighborhood around a home before buying, covering flood risk, drainage, road access, safety, and community feel.
Tips & Inspection How to Avoid Property Scams
A practical guide to spotting property fraud and protecting yourself, from checking document legitimacy to choosing a licensed notary for your transaction.
Tips & Inspection Signs of a Well Built House
A practical guide to spotting quality construction during a property inspection, covering walls, foundations, drainage, and the documents that back it all up.
Tips & Inspection A Checklist for Inspecting a Secondhand House
A practical inspection checklist for secondhand homes covering structural condition, drainage, and document legality so you can make an informed decision before signing anything.
Frequently asked questions
What matters most when viewing a house?
Prioritise what's expensive to fix: the structure and foundation, the roof, and the electrical and water systems. Paint and looks are easily refreshed, but structural problems can be costly and dangerous.
How do I assess a home's flood risk?
Note the land's height against the road and neighbouring homes, ask neighbours about flood history, look at the drainage, and if you can, view during the rainy season. Near rivers, check tidal influence too.
When is the best time to view?
Ideally more than once, at different times: daytime for light and general condition, and during or after rain to test the roof and drainage. A rush-hour visit also helps judge noise and traffic.