Banjup Settlement Agent and Conveyancer

Who handles the paperwork on a property transfer

Banjup sits within Perth’s southern suburbs, roughly 25 km south of the Perth CBD. Buying or selling property is straightforward when the paperwork is handled properly, and stressful when it is not.

With our office roughly 15 km to the north-west, we can meet you at home, including weekends, or handle everything remotely.

Buying or selling a house is a lengthy and complex process and obtaining professional advice will help ensure your smooth and successful property settlement in Banjup. The main job of a settlement agent is to transfer the ownership of the property and depending on whether you are buying or selling has various different components.

Settling Banjup property: the local picture

The housing around Banjup is largely established rather than new, which means most transactions are transfers of existing homes, and a portion involve lots created out of larger original blocks.

Where a Banjup property has been created out of a larger block, the settlement involves the newer lot’s own title and any shared arrangements that came with the subdivision, such as a common driveway or shared services. Those are easy to deal with when identified early.

Around here that usually means:

• villa and townhouse strata settlements, including levy adjustments
• rates, water and levy adjustments calculated to the settlement date
• older titles carrying notifications or encumbrances worth explaining before settlement
• subdivided lots being sold individually
• established green-title transfers

So we front-load the work. Searches and enquiries go out as soon as we have the contract, which leaves room to deal with anything unexpected long before settlement day.

The same applies in the surrounding suburbs: settlement agent Atwell, Aubin Grove, Success, Hammond Park and Cockburn Central.

Where settlements come unstuck, and how we prevent it

Between the accepted offer and settlement day sits several weeks of unglamorous, deadline-driven work. We check the title and anything registered on it, deal with the council, Water Corporation and any strata company, complete the verification of identity requirements, prepare and lodge the transfer, arrange transfer duty through State Revenue Online, produce the settlement statement, settle, and notify the authorities of the change of ownership.

Sellers need to complete a verification of identity check before a transfer can be registered. It is quick, but it has to be done by someone authorised, and leaving it to the last week creates unnecessary pressure.

You will not need to attend settlement. It is completed electronically, which is now the standard process in Western Australia, and we confirm the outcome with you straight away.

Every part of the transfer, covered

The full range of settlement and conveyancing services is available to Banjup clients:

• Title searches – Shelley can search a title and explain what is registered against it before you commit.
• Transfer duty through State Revenue Online – We arrange stamping, so duty does not need to be paid before settlement.
• Application by survivorship – Transferring a property into the surviving owner’s name.
• Court order transfers – Transfers arising from a separation or family court order.
• Home settlements – Transfers of established houses, duplexes, townhouses and villa strata, for buyers and for sellers.
• Strata settlements – Apartments, villas and survey-strata lots, including strata information and levy adjustments.
• Green title and strata title subdivision – Settlements on newly created lots, including subdivision work.

Not sure which of these applies to your situation? Call and describe the property, and we will tell you what is involved.

Getting your documents signed

Our office is roughly 15 km from Banjup, which makes home appointments easy, including outside business hours and on weekends. We will bring the documents to you, explain what you are signing and complete the verification of identity check sellers require.

Everything can also be done remotely if you would rather not meet in person. Settlements in WA are completed electronically, so there is nothing to attend on the day. Call Shelley on 0428 336 878.

We offer cost-effective and stress-free settlement

We are licensed in all aspects of conveyancing in Western Australia. Other services that we offer:

Questions we are asked most

The property is a rear survey-strata lot. Is that different to a normal transfer?

Slightly. A survey-strata lot has its own title, and there are often shared arrangements from the subdivision, such as a common driveway or shared services. We identify those and explain them before settlement.

When do I need to appoint a settlement agent?

As soon as your offer is accepted, and ideally before. The earlier we have the contract, the sooner we can order searches and raise enquiries, which is where the time goes.

Who tells the council and Water Corporation about the change of ownership?

We do, as part of the settlement. You do not need to contact them yourself, although you will want to arrange your own connections for power, gas and internet.

Don’t have time to get to an office?

Our services include Banjup home appointments, including weekends to sign confusing documentation and to conduct a verification of identity check for sellers to avoid going to Australia post. However, we are also able to work remotely to do all this over the phone or in person.