Settlement Agents for Doubleview Buyers and Sellers

The settlement side of buying or selling

Doubleview sits about 10 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.

Our office sits roughly 16 km to the south, so meeting at your place, including on a weekend, is easy to arrange.

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 Doubleview. 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 Doubleview: what it means for your settlement

Doubleview 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:

• older titles carrying notifications or encumbrances worth explaining before settlement
• subdivided lots being sold individually
• coastal strata schemes with higher levies for building maintenance
• established green-title transfers
• survey-strata rear lots and shared driveway arrangements

That mix is why we do not treat any two Doubleview 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.

Neighbouring areas we work in include Scarborough settlements, Trigg, Wembley Downs, Karrinyup and Innaloo.

What a settlement agent actually does

Between the accepted offer and settlement day sits several weeks of unglamorous, deadline-driven work. We search the certificate of title and check what is registered against it, raise enquiries with the local shire or council, Water Corporation and any strata company, prepare and lodge the transfer documents, attend to transfer duty through State Revenue Online, calculate the adjustments so rates, water and levies are shared fairly to the day, and complete settlement electronically.

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

Whatever the property is, the settlement work is covered:

• 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.
• Selling – Private homes, commercial property and deceased estates, with documents signed at a time that suits you.
• 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.

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 16 km from Doubleview, 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:

Common questions from clients

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.

What does a settlement agent cost for a Doubleview property?

Our fee depends on the property and what the transaction involves, so we quote before you commit. Ask for a quote and you will get a clear figure rather than an estimate that moves later.

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.

Don’t have time to get to an office?

Our services include Doubleview 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.