Are you a home buyer looking for heritage listed houses? The historic nature of heritage homes makes them appealing to many Sydney buyers, but owning one of these properties comes with great responsibility.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking of buying a heritage-listed home in Sydney.
How Do You Know If a House Is on the Heritage List?
Sydney is rich in cultural history and is home to many heritage-listed properties. Period homes are popular among buyers, but listings and advertisements may not disclose the home’s heritage status.
How can you tell if a home is on the heritage list?
To find out if a home is on the heritage list, you can check the online heritage database. Simply type in the address of the property to see if it is listed.
If a property is listed, you will find a description of its features and why it was listed.
A buyers agent can also tell you whether the property is heritage listed.
What Are the Restrictions on The Purchase of a Cultural Heritage Object?
The purpose of heritage listing is to preserve history, but listed homes can still be renovated in most cases. There is a process that needs to be followed, but being heritage listed doesn’t mean that your home has to be kept frozen in time.
Changes to a heritage house must go through an approvals process. Generally, owners of heritage-listed homes can renovate the home and make additions as long as these changes are compatible with or complement the heritage place. Changes that may damage the home’s historic significance may not be approved.
Any change can be brought forward for consideration. Proposals to modernize bathrooms, kitchens and other spaces are usually approved.
A few other things to know:
- Routine maintenance and repairs don’t need approval in most cases.
- Owners of heritage listed houses are not obligated to restore the listed object.
- Properties can be leased or sold without needing approval.
A few things are typically prohibited, such as:
- Demolition
- Neglected maintenance
More information about permits and approvals can be found on the Applications page.
While remodelling and upgrading is more complicated, there are advantages to owning a heritage-listed home, such as paying lower land tax and council rates. Support is also available in the form of grants to assist with renovations.
Many buyers agents believe that the heritage designation increases the value of the property. Buyers love hearing the stories and histories behind these homes.
Who Can Help in Buying Such a Property?
Finding heritage houses for sale can be challenging because these properties don’t always advertise their listing status. Sydney’s property market is also incredibly competitive, making it even more difficult to find the home of your dreams.
If you need help finding a heritage-listed house, Sydney buyers agents, like Dan Sofo, can help. Dan works closely with clients to help them navigate Sydney’s challenging property market. His experience and expertise give buyers an edge, especially when buying heritage-listed homes.
Leave a Reply