Prepare a short list of preferred suburbs that suit your lifestyle, bearing in mind affordability and accommodation requirements.

Research sales in those preferred suburbs. Inspect every property in your preferred suburb so you have a feel for the prices. Attend all open homes in the area.

Develop a relationship with one of our professional team who specialise in your preferred area. Your Countrywide Real Estate Sales Consultant will be able to advise you of any additional information you may need.

When you find a property that suits your requirements, ask your agent to send a copy of the sale contract to your solicitor or conveyancer.

If you are considering making an offer, we recommend that you contact your Countrywide Real Estate Sales Consultant promptly who can guide you if you are in any way unsure of the process.

Your can arrange a building inspection to make sure you are aware of any possible major defects.

Following your solicitors or conveyancer's advice on the sale contract and taking into consideration the building reports, you are now able to make an informed decision to proceed with the purchase of the property.

Once negotiations have been finalised, you will be required to sign the sale contract and pay a deposit. Your deposit will be held in a trust account until settlement.

On settlement day it is advisable that you do a final inspection before settlement takes place. This is to ensure that the property is in the same condition as when you last inspected it, and that all inclusions are as per the contract you signed.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling property, there are now several online property valuation tools which provide estimates of property value. These valuations are based on data from public sources such as council records.

It’s important to remember that online property valuations are only indicative of property value. They don’t factor in the condition of a property, if it has special features or if there are any variations to current market trends. These factors can significantly change the value of a property.

You should only use online property valuations tools as a starting point for making decisions about buying or selling property.

Talking to a qualified Real Estate Agent will provide you with better and more accurate information. Real Estate Agents determine property values by doing a comparative market analysis, which considers many more factors than online tools.

You can also do any or all of the following to get more information about the value of a property:

• Contact a professional Property Valuer for a formal valuation
• Contact a qualified professional to do a building inspection
• Obtain a LIM from your local council