Five due-diligence checks before you sign in South Australia
The contract is where a good purchase can quietly become a costly one. These five checks catch the most common — and most expensive — surprises.
Excitement and deadlines are a dangerous combination when you're buying property. The period before you sign is your best — and sometimes only — chance to find the problems that don't show up at an open home. Here are five checks worth doing every single time.
1. Read the contract and Form 1 carefully
In South Australia, the vendor's statement (Form 1) discloses important information about the property. Read it properly, and get a conveyancer or solicitor to review the contract before you commit — not after.
2. Get an independent valuation view
Don't rely on the asking price or the agent's appraisal. Look at genuine comparable sales and form an independent view of what the property is worth, so your offer is grounded in evidence rather than emotion.
3. Commission building and pest inspections
A qualified inspection can reveal structural issues, moisture, or pest damage that change the value — or your decision — entirely. Treat the cost as cheap insurance against a far more expensive mistake.
4. Understand the zoning and planning context
Check the zoning, any easements, and what can be built nearby. A future development next door or a restriction on your own plans can materially affect both lifestyle and resale value.
5. Confirm your finance and cooling-off position
- Make sure your finance is genuinely in place, not just assumed.
- Understand any cooling-off rights and conditions that apply to your contract.
- Know your settlement timeline and what has to happen before it.
None of this is glamorous, but it's where good purchases are protected. If you'd rather have an experienced professional run these checks with you, that's a core part of what we do.
Cobi Rontaunay
Director, Core Capital
Cobi Rontaunay is the Director of Core Capital, an independent buyer's agency in Adelaide. He represents buyers only. Never vendors. He guides clients across South Australia through strategy, search, due diligence, negotiation, and settlement.