Settlement Agents for Churchlands Buyers and Sellers

The settlement side of buying or selling

Churchlands sits about 8 km north-west of the Perth CBD, in Perth’s northern suburbs. When a property goes under offer, someone has to search the title, deal with the rates and water, arrange duty and get the transfer registered. That is our job.

We are based in Myaree, roughly 13 km to the south, and home appointments are part of the service.

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 Churchlands. 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.

Property in Churchlands: what it means for your settlement

Churchlands is an established Perth suburb, and its settlement work reflects that: mostly straightforward transfers of established homes, with subdivision and rear-lot activity in the pockets where blocks allow it.

Typical local settlements look like this:

• survey-strata rear lots and shared driveway arrangements
• 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

That mix is why we do not treat any two Churchlands settlements as identical. An original green-title home, a rear survey-strata lot and a villa in a small group all settle differently, and the checks that matter change with each.

Practically, that means the title search goes out immediately, enquiries to the council and Water Corporation follow, strata figures are requested where there is a strata company, and the adjustments are calculated to the day so nobody pays for a period they did not own.

We also act for buyers and sellers nearby in Wembley Downs settlements, Woodlands, Osborne Park, Glendalough and Innaloo.

What a settlement agent actually does

Settlement is a process with a fixed date and a lot of moving parts. The list is long: title searches, enquiries to the council and Water Corporation, strata information where relevant, verification of identity, preparation of the transfer, duty assessment, settlement figures, settlement itself, then notification to the authorities and registration at Landgate.

Rates, water and strata levies are adjusted at settlement, so a buyer reimburses the seller for the portion of the year already paid. It surprises people, so we set it out clearly in the settlement statement rather than leaving it as a line item.

Settlement in WA is now conducted electronically, which means no one drives across town with bank cheques. We complete it online and let you know the moment it is through.

Conveyancing services, start to finish

Licensed for all aspects of conveyancing in WA, the work we take on includes:

• Buying – Everything from the accepted offer through to registration of your name on the title.
• 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.

If what you need is not on that list, ask anyway. Most property questions have a straightforward answer, and it costs nothing to find out.

Meeting and signing, made simple

Not everyone can get to an office between nine and five, and you should not have to. Our office is in Myaree, roughly 13 km from Churchlands, and we offer home appointments, including weekends, to sign documentation and to complete the verification of identity check sellers need, so there is no trip to Australia Post.

If it is easier to do everything remotely, that works too. Settlements in Western Australia are completed electronically, so you will not need to attend settlement itself. Call Shelley on 0428 336 878 to arrange a time that suits you.

We offer cost-effective and stress-free settlement

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

Quick answers before you call

Can you tell me what is registered against a property before I make an offer?

Yes. A title search is inexpensive and quick, and it will show ownership, encumbrances and any notifications. It is a sensible first step if anything about the property is unclear.

Do I have to attend settlement?

No. Settlements in Western Australia are completed electronically, so neither buyers nor sellers attend in person. We complete it online and confirm it with you as soon as it is done.

What happens if the other side is not ready on settlement day?

It happens, and the contract usually deals with it, including interest for the delay. The important thing is that you tell us as soon as you know, because a problem raised early can normally be worked around.

Don’t have time to get to an office?

Our services include Churchlands 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.