Open home guide
Know what you're
walking into.
Room by room.
Most buyers walk through a property and miss 80% of what matters. Here's what to look for — clearly, simply, before you go.
"Read this before you go. Twenty minutes at the right place asks the right questions."
📋 Take this with you
Download the print-ready checklist — fits on one A4 page.
Download checklist (PDF)
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What this guide covers
Everything here is what you can see, smell, or notice on a standard open home walk-through — no tools, no crawling under houses, no climbing on roofs. The goal is to know what questions to ask and what to photograph before you engage a licensed inspector.
First impressions — arrive early
"Get there five minutes early. Walk the outside first — before agents arrive, before the crowd. The story of the building starts before you open the front door."
Cracking in brickwork
Window and door lintels
Stand back and photograph the brickwork directly above windows and doors for cracking or sagging.
Trees close to the house
Site drainage — water flowing toward the house?
Check which way the ground slopes, not just for visible puddles — photograph the area and add a note.
Downpipes — are they connected?
Bubbling or peeling paint / render cracking
Roof & gutters — ground level only
"Everything here is from the ground. I don't want you on a ladder, on a roof, or anywhere you weren't invited. Your eyes and a wide-angle photo are all you need."
Roofline — dips, waves or sag
Stand back and check the roofline against the sky.
Tiles — cracked, slipped or missing
Gutters — blocked, sagging or rusted
Chimney and flashing (if visible)
Exterior walls & structure
"Walls tell a story. A crack is just the surface — what I'm interested in is what's behind it."
Window and door frames — gaps and rot
Timber in contact with soil
Exposed or unpainted external timber
Eave sheeting condition
On older homes, photograph damaged sections and add a note for a specialist to check.
📋 Take this with you
Download the print-ready checklist — fits on one A4 page.
Download checklist (PDF)
Kitchen
"Kitchens are where most people look at benchtops and appliances. I look under the sink first."
Under the sink
Water pressure and drainage
Run the tap and note the pressure and how quickly it drains.
Splashback grout and sealant
Benchtop seams near the sink
Powerpoints and rangehood
Bathroom(s) & wet areas
"Bathrooms look clean at inspections. That's the point. Get down and look at what's underneath — the floor outside the shower, the corners, the bits no one highlights."
Shower silicone and grout
Floor outside the shower — soft or springy?
Walk it slowly, photograph the area, and add a note on where it feels soft.
Base of the toilet
Give it a gentle wiggle and check for movement or staining at the base.
Ceiling corners and walls above the shower
Under the vanity — the flexi hose, pipe and joints
Ventilation — exhaust fan working or a window that opens
Run the taps — water colour and pressure
Laundry
"Laundries are wet rooms that nobody really looks at during an inspection. That's exactly why I look carefully."
Behind and under the trough
Washing machine tap connections
Ventilation and drainage
Living areas & bedrooms
"Don't let furniture distract you. Look up at the ceiling corners and down at the floors. That's where the story is."
Wall and cornice cracks
Ceiling staining — especially at corners
Doors and windows — do they open and close freely?
Photograph the gap between the door and frame while it's closed, to help spot any movement over time.
Floors — bounce, slope or gaps
Walk slowly, photograph the area, and add a note on where it feels different.
Window seals
Photograph any gaps or signs of mould around the seal.
Built-in robes against external walls
Open the robe and check for a musty smell or damp patches on the back wall.
A musty smell or damp patches
Photograph the room, then add a note describing the smell — the photo plus your note gives the full picture.
Powerpoints and switches
Stairs & safety
"Quick things that get missed because people are looking at the fancy kitchen: switchboards, smoke detectors, balcony rails, pool gates. Small checks now, big peace of mind later."
Stair handrails — present and secure
Give it a firm shake — it should feel solid and secure.
Safety switch & switchboard
Smoke detectors
Handrail on balcony — height and width
Pool fencing
Gate should close and lock automatically — test it yourself.
Likely asbestos — confirm age of property
Common in homes built between the 1950s and 1990s.
Window opening width on second storey
Max opening of 125mm for child safety.
📋 Take this with you
Download the print-ready checklist — fits on one A4 page.
Download checklist (PDF)
Exterior structures
"The house isn't the only structure on the block. Fences, garages and sheds age too — and they're easy to skip over on a walk-through."
Fences & retaining walls
Garage
Sheds
📋 Take this with you
Download the print-ready checklist — fits on one A4 page.
Download checklist (PDF)
"One more thing from me before you go: stay safe while you're looking. Never climb on anything you haven't been invited to climb on. Don't open electrical panels. Don't go into roof spaces or under the house. This guide is about what your eyes, ears, and nose can tell you from a safe, respectful walk-through — nothing more. Everything else is for the licensed inspector."
This guide is for general education only. It is not a building inspection, is not reviewed by a licensed inspector, and does not replace a professional report. Always engage a qualified building inspector before purchasing or committing to a property. Dwello is an automated awareness tool. Use this guide at your own discretion and always act safely.
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