06/09/2026
Every experienced property investor shares one habit in common: they know exactly what they’re protecting themselves from before they sign anything. It’s not luck that separates a good outcome from a bad one. It’s the work that happens before settlement, work that most buyers never see and even more never think to ask about.
Here’s what that work is protecting against. The New South Wales Building Commission’s 2025 Strata Defects Research Report found that 53 per cent of buildings assessed had serious defects, a figure consistent with its 2023 findings, meaning this isn’t an isolated problem correcting itself over time.
Separately, research from UNSW’s City Futures Research Centre found that up to 85 per cent of apartment buildings constructed since 2000 in New South Wales contain at least one significant defect, with waterproofing failures accounting for close to 40 per cent of all issues reported.
These aren’t cosmetic paint-chip problems. They’re the kind of structural and compliance issues that show up years after settlement, once the builder has moved on and the warranty period has quietly expired...
Read the full article: https://investorproperty.com.au/insights/news/the-investment-risk-most-buyers-never-check-for/