Step 7 · 5–10 days
Do your due diligence
Before you commit, check the title, the LIM report, a building inspection and whether you can actually insure the property. These reveal the problems the listing photos never show — and can change your offer or stop you buying.
How to approach it
Order the LIM from the council ($200–$400), commission a building inspection ($500–$1,000) for any house built before 2000 or with code concerns, and check insurance options early — some areas are now hard or expensive to insure.
Watch out for
Meth contamination, weathertightness (leaky home), unconsented alterations and flood-zone uninsurability are deal-breakers. If something's flagged, either walk away or cut your offer to cover the fix.
Cost & timeframe
Typical cost
$1,000–$3,000
Typical time
5–10 days
Common questions
What's a LIM and do I need one?
A Land Information Memorandum from the council records consents, rates, zoning and any issues for the property. Always get one before going unconditional.
Can I still buy an uninsurable house?
Technically yes, but most banks won't lend against a property that can't be insured — effectively ruling it out for financed buyers.
Why insurance matters early
Don't get blindsided at settlement
Home insurance isn't a box to tick on moving day — it's a real weekly cost your bank requires on a mortgaged property, and it's why it sits in the true-cost calculator. Most first-home buyers only price it at the end and discover the number is nothing like the "average".
The premium depends on the property's risk profile: flood zones, coastal-erosion areas, soft soils and older, unrenovated builds all cost materially more to cover. In some spots insurers are pulling out entirely — and if a home can't be insured, a lender generally won't finance it, so the deal can fall over after you've spent thousands on inspections and a deposit.
That's why it pays to check insurability while you're house hunting, not days before settlement. Pull the council LIM and the EQC / council natural-hazard maps, and ask an insurer for an indicative premium on any property you're seriously considering.
This is educational context, not advice — premiums and availability change, and only an insurer can confirm cover for a specific property.