Waikiki settlements without the jargon

Buying or selling in Waikiki? The suburb is roughly 30 km south of our Myaree office, in Perth’s southern suburbs, and like everywhere in WA the conveyancing starts the moment the offer and acceptance is signed.

WA does things slightly differently to the eastern states. Conveyancing here is done by licensed settlement agents or by lawyers, and settlement agents work under the Settlement Agents Act 1981 and a code of conduct. We are licensed, and we will tell you when a question is really one for a lawyer.

Want to meet in person? Call first and we will let you know if a visit to Waikiki works for the dates you need. Otherwise phone and email do the job.

Waikiki titles, strata and everything in between

Waikiki is a growth area, so a lot of what we see is house-and-land packages, vacant lots and first homes. With new land the big thing to know is that settlement cannot happen until the title has been issued.

  • Off-the-plan contracts often include a sunset clause, so read it before you sign
  • Deposits on off-the-plan purchases should be held in a trust account until settlement
  • Land and building contracts are separate documents with separate timelines
  • Strata information requested as soon as the contract is signed
  • Title searched and any issues raised early, not the week before settlement

Selling or buying nearby instead? See Cooloongup, Warnbro, Hillman, Safety Bay and East Rockingham.

strata property buying

The Waikiki settlement timeline

When you buy in Waikiki, your deposit is normally held in a trust account until settlement rather than going straight to the seller. Settlement agents in WA must keep client money in a statutory trust account, and those accounts have to be audited.

At settlement the deposit and the balance of the price go to the seller, less anything owed to their bank, and we confirm the numbers with you before the day.

The Waikiki settlements we take on

Common Waikiki conveyancing jobs that come across our desk:

  • Title searches
  • Lodgement of documents with Landgate
  • Green title and strata title subdivision settlements
  • Transfer duty arranged through State Revenue Online as part of the settlement
  • Settlements for houses, duplexes, townhouses and villa strata, for buyers and sellers
  • Vacant land settlements
  • Strata settlements, including strata information and levy adjustments

More detail is on our Waikiki conveyancing page, along with our settlement process overview.

Perth Real Estate

Settlement agent FAQs for Waikiki

Can you give me legal advice about my contract?

We are settlement agents, not lawyers. If your Waikiki contract raises something that needs legal advice, we will tell you and recommend you speak to a lawyer.

Who chooses the settlement agent?

You do. Buyers and sellers are each entitled to appoint a settlement agent or lawyer of their choice, and to change at any time. You do not have to use the one suggested by the real estate agent.

Can one settlement agent act for both the buyer and seller?

Only if both parties are given a written disclosure and consent. Many Waikiki buyers and sellers prefer to have their own settlement agent.

Is Waikiki too far for a home visit?

Not necessarily. Visits out to Waikiki can often be arranged, so ring us to check dates. Phone and email work just as well if a visit does not suit.