Residential Conveyancing
Buying or selling property? It helps to have someone looking at the whole picture.
A residential property transaction involves much more than transferring ownership from one person to another. There is a contract to understand, important dates to meet, searches and investigations to consider and decisions that may need to be made quickly if an issue arises.
At Watt & Severin, we guide buyers and sellers through the conveyancing process from the early stages of a transaction through to settlement. And when something requires legal advice rather than simply processing, you have a legal team you can talk to.
How can we help?
Buying Property
Advice and conveyancing when purchasing a home, unit or residential investment property.
Buying Property ↓
Selling Property
Preparing for sale, contract advice and conveyancing through to settlement.
Selling Property ↓
Contract Reviews Before Signing
Understand the contract, identify potential issues and consider whether additional conditions are needed before you commit.
Contract Reviews ↓
Seller Disclosure
Advice about Queensland's seller disclosure requirements and preparation of the disclosure documentation required before a buyer signs the contract.
Seller Disclosure →
Buying Property
Know what you are agreeing to before you buy
Finding the right property is exciting. It can also create pressure to sign quickly. Before you sign a contract, it is important to understand exactly what you are agreeing to and whether the contract adequately protects you.
We can review the proposed contract before you sign, explain its terms and discuss any issues that should be addressed before you become contractually committed.
Depending on the property and your circumstances, this may include considering:
finance;
building and pest inspections;
searches and investigations;
inclusions and exclusions;
title and property interests;
body corporate issues for units and townhouses;
special conditions;
proposed use of the property; and
settlement arrangements.
Once the contract is signed, we manage the conveyancing process through to settlement, keep you informed of important dates and deal with legal issues that arise along the way.
Searches and due diligence
Not every issue affecting a property will be obvious from an inspection. Searches can provide important information about the property, its title and matters affecting ownership or use.
We discuss the searches available and help you decide which are appropriate having regard to the particular property and what you intend to do with it.
When something unexpected happens
Not every conveyance proceeds exactly as expected. A building and pest inspection may identify a problem. Finance may be delayed. A search may reveal something unexpected. There may be an issue with the contract, the property or settlement.
When that happens, the question is not simply what the conveyancing procedure requires.
You may need legal advice about your rights, your obligations and the options available to you. That is where having your conveyancing handled within a law firm matters.
Considering buying? Talk to us before you sign →
Selling Property
Prepare for the transaction, not just the listing
There is considerable value in getting the legal side of a property sale organised before a buyer is ready to sign.
Early preparation gives us an opportunity to identify issues affecting the property, consider the proposed contract and ensure the required seller disclosure documentation is available before the transaction reaches the point where everyone expects it to move quickly.
We can assist with:
reviewing or preparing the contract;
seller disclosure requirements;
title and property issues;
existing mortgages and securities;
inclusions and exclusions;
special conditions;
body corporate matters;
issues arising from tenancies or occupancy; and
the conveyancing process through to settlement.
Once a contract is signed
We manage the legal and conveyancing requirements of the sale, monitor contractual dates, liaise with the relevant parties and prepare the transaction for settlement.
If an issue arises, we advise you about its legal effect and the options available to you. Our aim is not simply to reach settlement, but to help you understand what is happening throughout the transaction.
Thinking of selling? Speak with us early →
Contract Reviews Before Signing
The best time to deal with a contract problem is usually before you sign
Once a contract has been signed, the starting point is that the parties are bound by the agreement they have made, subject to any applicable contractual or statutory rights.
That is why we encourage both buyers and sellers to seek advice before signing.
A pre-contract review gives us the opportunity to explain the proposed contract, identify provisions that may create risk and discuss whether changes or additional conditions should be considered.
For a buyer, that might mean ensuring there is appropriate protection for finance, investigations or a particular concern about the property.
For a seller, it may involve making sure the contract reflects the proposed transaction and addressing known issues before the property is placed under contract.
Not every contract needs extensive amendment.
Sometimes the most valuable outcome of a review is simply knowing what you are signing and being comfortable with the obligations you are taking on.
Have a contract you are considering signing? Talk to us first →
Seller Disclosure
Disclosure now forms an important part of selling residential property in Queensland
Queensland's statutory seller disclosure regime requires sellers of most freehold property to provide prescribed disclosure documents to a buyer before the buyer signs the contract.
The timing and content of that disclosure matter.
For sellers, this means disclosure should be considered early in the sale process rather than after a buyer has been found.
We can assist sellers to understand their disclosure obligations, obtain the required information and prepare the disclosure documentation for the proposed sale.
Because seller disclosure raises issues that go beyond the ordinary conveyancing process, we have a dedicated page explaining the regime in more detail.
Read more about Seller Disclosure →
Conveyancing with legal advice behind it
Many residential property transactions are straightforward. The value of having a solicitor involved becomes particularly apparent when one isn't.
Our role is to manage the conveyancing process efficiently while remaining alert to the legal issues surrounding the transaction.
If something needs explaining, we explain it.
If something needs investigating, we raise it.
And if a legal issue arises, we can advise you about what it means and what you can do about it.
Start before the contract if you can
You do not need to wait until you have signed a contract to contact us.
If you are buying, send us the proposed contract before you sign.
If you are selling, involve us while you are preparing the property for market.
Early advice gives us more opportunity to identify issues and deal with them before they become contractual problems.
Talk to Watt & Severin about your property transaction →