Free property checks before you buy in NSW: the official ones

Start with the contract

In NSW, the seller's contract must be available before a property is sold, and it contains some of the most useful information you will get, including a planning certificate issued by the council. That certificate sets out the zoning and key planning matters for the land, including whether it is bushfire prone or subject to flood-related controls. Ask the agent for the contract early, and have a conveyancer or solicitor review it.

Alongside the contract, you can run these free checks yourself.

1. Zoning and planning controls

The NSW Planning Portal's spatial viewer is free and official. Search the address to see the zoning, minimum lot size, heritage items and other planning layers. This tells you what can and cannot be built or changed, which matters if you plan to extend, add a granny flat or subdivide.

2. Bushfire-prone land

Much of the Blue Mountains and surrounding areas is mapped as bushfire-prone land. You can check bushfire-prone land mapping through the NSW Planning Portal and the NSW Rural Fire Service. If a property is bushfire prone, building work may need to meet bushfire construction standards, and insurance can cost more. Ask whether a bushfire attack level (BAL) assessment has been done.

3. Flooding

Councils publish flood planning information, and the planning certificate will note flood-related controls. This is especially important near rivers and creeks, such as the Nepean around Emu Plains and Penrith. Check council flood information, then get an insurance quote before you commit.

4. Mine subsidence

Parts of NSW, including areas around Lithgow, fall within mine subsidence districts because of past or present coal mining. Subsidence Advisory NSW publishes district maps. If a property is in a district, building work may need approval, so check before you plan any changes.

5. Land value

The NSW Valuer General publishes land values for every property, free to look up. It covers the land only, not the house, and is used for rates and land tax, so do not treat it as a price guide. It is useful for comparing land between properties. Read more in appraisal vs valuation in NSW.

6. Sales history and comparable sales

Property portals show a home's past sale prices and recent sales nearby. Look at what similar homes have sold for in the last six to twelve months to judge whether the asking price is realistic. Our guide to six free ways to check property value shows how.

7. The neighbourhood

Walk the street at different times of day. Check traffic noise, parking, mobile coverage and the distance to transport, shops and schools. In the mountains, look at the block's slope, access in wet or icy weather and how much sun it gets in winter. Our suburb guides cover local factors area by area.

The checks worth paying for

• Building and pest inspection by a qualified inspector, before you exchange or during a cooling-off period.
• Strata report for units and townhouses, covering finances, repairs and by-laws.
• Contract review by a conveyancer or solicitor, who will also order the title search.
• Specialist reports where needed, such as a BAL assessment, a survey or a structural engineer's report.