15/06/2026
BUYING A HOME? HERE ARE THE TOP 7 THINGS YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR BEFORE MAKING AN OFFER
Most buyers walk through a home looking at kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, paint colours, and whether their furniture will fit.
What many don't realise is that some of the most expensive problems are often hidden from plain sight.
As pest professionals, we've inspected thousands of homes and regularly find issues that the average buyer would never notice during a 15-minute home open.
Before you make an offer, here are 7 things worth checking.
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🐜 1. MUD TUBES OR TERMITE ACTIVITY
Take a look around external walls, retaining walls, fence lines, and any exposed brickwork.
Termites often build mud shelter tubes to travel between the ground and the timber they're feeding on.
These can sometimes be hidden behind gardens, air-conditioning units, or storage areas.
If you see mud-like tunnels running up walls or foundations, it's worth investigating further.
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💧 2. EXCESSIVE MOISTURE AROUND THE HOME
Termites love moisture.
Look for:
✔ Leaking taps
✔ Overflowing air-conditioning drains
✔ Poor drainage
✔ Water pooling after rain
✔ Garden beds hard against the house
Excess moisture doesn't always mean termites are present, but it significantly increases the risk.
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3. TIMBER TOUCHING THE SOIL
One of the most common termite risk factors we find is timber in direct contact with the ground.
Check for:
• Wooden garden edging
• Timber retaining walls
• Pergola posts
• Deck supports
• Firewood stored against the house
These areas can provide termites with direct access to a structure.
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4. CRACKS, GAPS AND ENTRY POINTS
Small gaps can become highways for pests.
Take notice of:
✔ Gaps around pipes
✔ Unsealed weep holes
✔ Damaged door seals
✔ Gaps under garage doors
✔ Openings around utility connections
These areas may not seem important during a viewing, but they can contribute to ongoing pest problems after settlement.
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🌿 5. OVERGROWN VEGETATION AGAINST THE HOUSE
Trees, shrubs, and vines touching the home may look attractive, but they can create hidden pest issues.
Vegetation can:
• Conceal termite activity
• Trap moisture
• Provide access points for rodents
• Allow ants and other insects to bridge treatment barriers
A well-maintained gap between vegetation and the home is always a positive sign.
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6. SIGNS OF PREVIOUS REPAIRS
Fresh paint, patched walls, replaced skirting boards, or sections of newer timber don't automatically mean there's a problem.
However, they can indicate previous damage that may be worth understanding.
Ask questions.
A good agent or seller should be able to explain what repairs were carried out and why.
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🐀 7. THE ROOF VOID AND SUBFLOOR (IF ACCESSIBLE)
These are two areas most buyers never see.
Yet they're often where pest activity begins.
Look for signs such as:
✔ Rodent droppings
✔ Damaged insulation
✔ Timber damage
✔ Excess moisture
✔ Poor ventilation
Many significant pest issues are discovered in areas that aren't part of the normal home inspection walkthrough.
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⚠️ BUT HERE'S THE THING...
Even if you check every item on this list, you could still miss a little gift that every home holds that you need to have a peak at when looking for a home.
It's not termite damage.
It's not mud tubes.
And it's not even moisture.
In fact, it's something that can reveal the likelihood of a hidden problem within minutes of arriving at a property.
It's one of the first things our inspectors assess when evaluating a home, yet most buyers walk straight past it without ever noticing.
We'll reveal exactly what it is in our next post.
🏡 If you're currently house hunting, save this checklist for your next home open.
👨👩👧👦 Know someone looking to buy their first home? Share this with them.
👇 And before we reveal the answer, tell us:
What's the first thing YOU look at when inspecting a property?
