10 Questions You Must Ask Before Making an Offer on Any Property

Making an offer on a property without the right information is one of the most financially exposed positions a buyer can put themselves in. Once contracts are exchanged in Queensland, you are legally bound to complete the purchase unless specific conditions are triggered, and even walking away under a finance or due diligence clause can carry financial consequences.

The questions in this article are not generic. They are drawn from the specific categories of risk and information that experienced property professionals, conveyancers, and due diligence specialists identify as the most commonly overlooked by buyers. Asking them before you make an offer, rather than after, is the difference between an informed purchase and an expensive lesson.

Flooding is the single most common major property risk that Australian buyers discover after purchase. In Brisbane particularly, the combination of the Brisbane River, dozens of creek systems, and urban stormwater infrastructure creates a complex flood risk landscape that affects hundreds of thousands of properties.

Asking the seller or agent whether the property has ever flooded is a starting point. But it is not sufficient on its own. Sellers may not know the full flooding history, particularly for recently built properties or those where current owners have not experienced a flood event during their ownership. The absence of a personal flooding experience does not mean the absence of flood risk.

The authoritative check is the flood overlay mapping maintained by Brisbane City Council under CityPlan 2014, supplemented by QLD FloodCheck data. These sources tell you whether the property sits within a creek/waterway flood area, a Brisbane River flood planning area, or an overland flow risk zone.

A PropDex due diligence report covers all three flood overlay categories for any Queensland property and gives you a clear, property-specific picture before you make any commitment.

An easement is a legal right that allows a third party to use a defined area of private land for a specific purpose. The most common types affecting residential properties are drainage easements for council stormwater infrastructure, electricity easements for overhead or underground power lines, and access easements for neighbouring properties.

The significance of an easement depends on its type, location, and width. A drainage easement running along the rear boundary of a large block may have minimal practical impact. The same easement running through the centre of a smaller urban lot can prevent you from building a granny flat, installing a pool, or constructing any permanent structure within the easement corridor.

Ask specifically whether any easements are registered on the title and request a copy of the registered title document showing all encumbrances. Your conveyancer will conduct a formal title search, but knowing the answer before you make an offer can save you time and the cost of a formal search on a property you would not want to proceed with.

Zoning determines what uses and development are permitted on a property. In Brisbane, the base zone is supplemented by multiple overlay codes that can either expand or restrict development potential beyond what the zone would otherwise allow.

Before making an offer, confirm the zone code with Brisbane City Council or review CityPlan 2014 directly. Then consider whether the zone is consistent with your intentions for the property.

If you are planning to add a second storey, build a granny flat, subdivide the block, or convert the property to a dual occupancy, these plans need to be assessed against the planning scheme before you commit to a purchase price that is based on their feasibility.

The question to ask is not just "what is the zone?" but "what specifically can I do under this zone?" A town planner can provide an opinion on development potential, and many offer initial consultations at a modest cost.

Sellers are generally required to disclose the existence of current development approvals, outstanding compliance notices, or orders affecting the property. Ask the agent or vendor directly and confirm through council records.

Outstanding notices can include building notices for unapproved structures, contamination notices, or orders requiring remediation of specific issues. These obligations transfer to the new owner on settlement and can represent significant unexpected costs.

Similarly, if a previous owner obtained a development approval for a structure that was never built, or for a use that has since changed, understanding the history of any approvals can be important for future development planning.

In Queensland, the standard REIQ contract for residential property includes certain fixtures and fittings in the sale by default, but exclusions and inclusions are often listed in the special conditions. Disputes about what is and is not included are surprisingly common.

Confirm in writing exactly which items are included. Appliances, blinds, light fittings, garden sheds, clotheslines, outdoor furniture, pool equipment, and air-conditioning units are common areas of ambiguity. If it is not explicitly included in the contract, assume it will not be there at settlement.

Council rates are a significant annual cost that varies substantially across council areas and even within a single council area depending on the land value and applicable differential rating categories.

Ask the agent for a recent rates notice. This will show the unimproved land value used for rating purposes, the rate in the dollar being applied, and any additional levies or charges. From this, you can calculate whether the rates align with your budget.

In Brisbane, the general rate is based on a rate in the dollar of 0.00437 applied to the unimproved land value. A property with a government land valuation of $700,000 generates approximately $3,059 in general rates annually before any additional levies.

Heritage overlays apply to properties that have been identified as having cultural, historical, or architectural significance. In Brisbane, properties can be listed at either local heritage level under BCC CityPlan or state heritage level under the Queensland Heritage Register.

Heritage listing does not prevent you from using or maintaining the property normally. It does, however, require council approval for alterations and additions that affect the heritage values. This typically means the external appearance, roofline, facade, and original character materials are subject to scrutiny.

If you have plans to renovate significantly, ask specifically whether any heritage overlay applies and what that overlay permits and restricts. A town planner familiar with heritage codes can provide guidance on what is achievable.

For families with children in or approaching school age, the state school catchment zone for a property is often a significant factor in the purchase decision. Premium state primary and high schools in Brisbane, such as those with high ICSEA scores, can create meaningful demand from families seeking access to the catchment.

Catchment zone boundaries are not always intuitive. A property on one side of a street may sit in a different primary catchment to a property directly opposite. And catchment boundaries are subject to periodic review, meaning the zone that applies today may not be the same zone that applies in three or five years.

Confirm the current catchment zones through the Queensland Department of Education's School Catchment Finder tool and contact the relevant school directly about enrolment expectations and waitlists if your plans depend on access to a specific school.

Local government infrastructure planning, state government transport projects, and private development applications can all significantly affect the amenity, value, and character of a property's surrounding area.

Infrastructure projects can be positive, such as new train stations, park upgrades, or road improvements, or they can impose costs, such as construction noise and traffic disruption over extended periods, or long-term amenity impacts from new roads or commercial development.

Proposed developments by private parties, such as high-density residential or commercial projects on nearby land, may or may not require council approval depending on the zoning, but many require development assessment that creates a public record.

Review the council's development application tracker for any recent or current applications near the property. For state government infrastructure, the Queensland Treasury Infrastructure Pipeline and relevant agency websites are the primary sources.

This question is asked by very few buyers before they make an offer, and it should be asked by all of them.

Building insurance is a mandatory requirement of all mortgage lenders. The premium you pay reflects the insurer's assessment of the risk profile of the property, which includes construction type, age, size, and critically, flood, bushfire, and storm risk.

For a property with any flood overlay designation, obtaining insurance quotes before you make an offer is essential. The difference between a property with no flood designation and a flood-designated property can be thousands of dollars per year in additional insurance costs. Some properties in high-risk areas are finding that standard insurers decline to offer cover, requiring specialist underwriters at premiums that fundamentally change the economics of ownership.

Contact at least three insurers and ask specifically about flood cover, the relevant excess, and the annual premium before you make any financial commitment.

The good news is that the answers to most of these questions are accessible through public government data sources. Flood overlay status, government land valuations, zoning, school catchments, and infrastructure are all available through council and state government portals.

A PropDex property due diligence report, available at propdextest.com.au, consolidates this information into a single clear document. Before you make an offer on any property, a PropDex report gives you the answers to the most critical due diligence questions in a format you can review, share with your solicitor, and act on immediately.

The report covers flood risk across all three overlay categories, easements, government land valuations, bushfire risk, school catchments, nearby amenities, ownership cost estimates, and more. It is the most practical starting point available to any buyer doing their homework before committing to a purchase.