Settlement Agent Hocking

Your settlement, handled from offer to keys

Hocking sits roughly 20 km north of the Perth CBD, in Perth’s northern suburbs. Once an offer on a Hocking property is accepted, the transaction moves from the real estate agent to a settlement agent, and that is where we come in.

From Myaree it is roughly 30 km to Hocking, so we can either come to you or handle the signing by phone, email and electronic signature.

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 Hocking. 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.

The local detail behind your settlement

Suburbs like Hocking sit in Perth’s middle ring, where the original blocks have gradually been developed and the titles now show a mix of original green title and newer survey-strata lots.

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

Settlements we regularly handle around here include:

• subdivided lots being sold individually
• established green-title transfers
• 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

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.

The same applies in the surrounding suburbs: conveyancing in Pearsall, Gnangara, Wangara, Ashby and Jandabup.

What you can expect from us

The job of a settlement agent is to transfer ownership of the property and to make sure nothing is missed on the way. 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.

The dates that catch people out are usually not the settlement date. Finance and building inspection conditions have their own deadlines earlier in the contract, and missing one of those causes far more trouble than anything that happens in the final week.

Because settlements are completed electronically in WA, where you live in relation to our office makes no difference to how your settlement is handled.

Services available to Hocking clients

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

• 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.

Every one of these is quoted before we start, so you know the cost before you commit to anything.

No office visit required

Hocking is roughly 30 km from our Myaree office, which is comfortably within reach for a home appointment. We can come to you, including on weekends, to sign documentation and complete the verification of identity check that sellers need.

Just as often, clients here prefer to do the whole thing by phone and email, and that works perfectly well. Documents can be sent, explained over the phone and signed electronically, and settlement itself is completed online, so there is nothing to attend. Whichever suits you better, call Shelley on 0428 336 878 and we will set it up.

We offer cost-effective and stress-free settlement

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

Settlement questions, answered

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.

How long does settlement take?

The settlement date is set in the contract rather than by us, and in Western Australia it is commonly somewhere between 30 and 60 days from an accepted offer. We work backwards from that date, and we will tell you early if anything threatens it.

Don’t have time to get to an office?

Our services include Hocking 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.