Services
Property research and due diligence
We screen 15,000+ neighbourhoods and check every property against 250+ data points before it reaches you, so you only see options that meet your brief.
Why it matters
Most mistakes happen before the offer
Oversupply, weak rental demand, flood or bushfire risk and hidden repair costs are expensive to discover after you buy. Once contracts are exchanged, your options are limited. Property due diligence is the work that rules those problems out while you can still walk away.
Our research is designed to catch them early, using market data, suburb-level analysis and inspections on the ground. It runs in two layers: first the market and the suburb, then the individual property. A good house in the wrong suburb is still a risk, and a good suburb does not make every property in it a sound investment.
Due diligence is also what lets you act quickly with confidence. When a good property comes up, especially off market, the research is already done and the remaining checks are clear, so you can make a decision within the time the selling agent allows without skipping steps.
What's included
- Suburb and market analysisSupply and demand, growth drivers, rental demand and location fundamentals across Australia.
- Property-level checksEach candidate is tested against your brief and 250+ data points.
- Flood, fire and insurance checksWe review flood and bushfire overlays and obtain insurance estimates as part of due diligence.
- Inspections on the groundEach property is inspected in person, with a full video walk-through and photos sent to you, plus building and pest reports.
- Repairs and renovation costsAny minor work the property needs is factored in before you commit.
- Rental appraisalExpected rent and tenant demand checked against comparable rentals nearby.
How it works
Step by step
- 01
Screen markets
We narrow 15,000+ neighbourhoods down to the suburbs that fit your brief on supply, demand, rents and infrastructure.
- 02
Shortlist properties
On and off-market candidates in those suburbs, around 60 of them for a typical purchase.
- 03
Check thoroughly
Data, inspections, reports and insurance, with 250+ data points tested on each property.
- 04
Present
Only properties that pass, with the reasoning and the risks laid out so you can decide.
What our property due diligence checks
At the market level, we look at what drives demand in an area: employment, population trends, infrastructure, transport and amenities. We weigh that against supply, including new developments and land release that could compete with your property for buyers and tenants. Suburbs that do not fit your brief or show warning signs are removed before we look at a single listing.
At the property level, we compare the asking price with recent comparable sales, review the title and zoning, check planning overlays such as flood and bushfire, and look at strata or body corporate records for apartments and townhouses, including levies, sinking funds and known defects. We obtain a rental appraisal and an insurance estimate, and we factor any repair or maintenance work into the numbers.
Every shortlisted property is inspected in person, and you receive a full video walk-through and photos, so you know exactly what you are buying wherever it is. Building and pest inspections and your conveyancer's contract review complete the picture before you commit. For a detailed list you can use yourself, see our 72-point property due diligence checklist.
- Comparable sales and price positioning
- Supply pipeline and competing developments
- Rental demand, rental appraisal and vacancy
- Title, zoning and easements
- Flood, bushfire and other planning overlays
- Strata records, levies and sinking fund
- Insurance estimate
- Building and pest inspection
- Repairs and maintenance costs
- In-person inspection with video walk-through
Rising Results
Selected client purchases
Equity gained in 12 months
$158,000
- Purchase price
- $610k
- Capital growth
- 26%
- Rental yield
- 5.9%
Equity gained in 12 months
$104,000
- Purchase price
- $550k
- Capital growth
- 19%
- Rental yield
- 6.1%
Equity gained in 12 months
$117,000
- Purchase price
- $585k
- Capital growth
- 20%
- Rental yield
- 5.8%
Equity gained in 24 months
$189,000
- Capital growth
- 24%
- Rental yield
- 5.8%
Equity gained in 13 months
$149,000
- Capital growth
- 23%
- Rental yield
- 6.1%
Equity gained in 13 months
$134,000
- Capital growth
- 22%
- Rental yield
- 6.0%
Individual client results since settlement. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
FAQ
Common questions
What does property due diligence include?
Property due diligence covers the checks you make before committing to buy. At Rising Returns that includes market and suburb analysis, comparable sales, title and zoning, flood and bushfire overlays, strata records where relevant, a rental appraisal, an insurance estimate, an in-person inspection and building and pest reports. Your conveyancer reviews the contract itself.
How many properties do you look at before recommending one?
We typically review around 60 properties for a purchase and test each one against 250+ data points. Only properties that meet your strategic brief and pass our checks are presented to you, with the reasoning and any risks explained.
Do you inspect properties in person?
Yes. Shortlisted properties are inspected in person, and we send you a full video walk-through and photos, so you can see exactly what you are buying even if the property is interstate. Building and pest inspections are arranged before you commit.
Can you check flood and bushfire risk?
Yes. We review the planning overlays for flood and bushfire, look at how they could affect insurance and resale, and obtain insurance estimates as part of due diligence. A property in an overlay is not automatically ruled out, but you will know the risk and the cost before deciding.
Can I do property due diligence myself?
Many of the checks are available to anyone, and our 72-point property due diligence checklist sets them out. The challenge is time, access to data and doing it consistently across many properties and markets. That is the part we take on, so you only see properties that have already passed.
How long does property due diligence take?
Market and suburb research runs before the search starts, so by the time a property is shortlisted much of the groundwork is done. Property-level checks, the inspection and building and pest reports usually happen within days, timed around the selling agent's deadlines and the contract's conditions.
Part of one complete service
Everything else we handle for you
- The full end-to-end serviceStrategy to settlement, one team
- Investment strategyBefore we look at a single property, we work out what you need it to do: growth, cash flow
- NegotiationOnce the right property is found, we negotiate the price and the terms on your behalf, so
- Done for youBuying an investment property involves dozens of steps and people
- Ongoing supportSettlement is not the finish line
- Off-market propertiesAccess before the open market
Further reading
Guides on this topic
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