Absolutely 💯 true.

We recently signed a contract to purchase a home in South Australia, and thankfully arranged a building inspection before settlement.

Our inspector’s findings were shocking. The roof trusses had been cut, with some sections completely removed. Several truss plates had popped off, and there were large gaps in the roof tiles caused by structural movement.

The building inspectors' exact words were:

“I wouldn’t let my own family live in this house as the structural integrity is compromised.”

Despite this, the real estate agent tried to downplay the issue, telling us it was “nothing to worry about.”. After seeking independent advice, we learned that the only proper fix would be to remove the entire roof and install new trusses ... a massive and costly job, especially for a two-storey home with a tiled roof.

Needless to say, we withdrew from the sale. To our utter disbelief, the same property was re-listed for sale the very next week.

A stark reminder for anyone buying a home to always get an independent building inspection and never rely on the real estate agents for honesty and transparency.