Guides for Ballarat home buyers

Plain answers to questions that come up when buying a house in Ballarat, with links to the public sources behind them.

• Do I need a pest inspection when buying in Ballarat?

  Usually, yes. Coptotermes termites are widely distributed throughout Victoria and cause more than 80 per cent of termite damage to buildings, including steel-framed homes. A timber pest inspection to AS 4349.3 is the routine way to check a house for termites, borer and decay before you are committed to buying it.

• Heritage or bushfire overlay on a Ballarat house: what changes for a buyer?

  The inspection itself does not change, but the repairs and additions you can make may. Changes to the outside of a house in a Heritage Overlay can need a planning permit. New building work in the Bushfire Management Overlay usually needs a permit with bushfire protection measures. Get a free planning property report for the address before you book.