What your Winthrop settlement agent does

Winthrop sits about 2 km south-east of our Myaree office, in Perth’s southern suburbs. Once the contract is signed there is a fair bit to organise before the property changes hands, and that is what we do.

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.

Winthrop is close enough that a home visit to sign the paperwork is easy to arrange, including on weekends.

Local Winthrop property, local paperwork

Winthrop is a settled, established suburb: older brick-and-tile homes, plenty of blocks split into duplex or triplex sites, and villa and townhouse complexes. Lots of those are strata or survey-strata, which changes what needs doing.

  • If there is a tenant, the contract needs to deal with that
  • Duplex and triplex sites can carry easements for shared services
  • Villa and townhouse complexes are usually strata, so the strata information needs to come in early
  • Bank details confirmed by phone, never changed on the strength of an email
  • Seller identity checks sorted well before settlement

Selling or buying nearby instead? See settlement agent Bateman, Booragoon, Murdoch, Myaree and Bull Creek.

strata property buying

Winthrop settlement, step by step

One thing that confuses a lot of Winthrop buyers and sellers is adjustments. Council rates, water and strata levies are often paid ahead for a period. At settlement they are split so the seller pays up to the settlement date and the buyer pays from then on.

Those figures all come together in the settlement statement, which you see before the day. If something looks off, ask us. We would rather explain it twice than have you sign something you do not follow.

The Winthrop settlements we take on

Common Winthrop conveyancing jobs that come across our desk:

  • 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
  • Private sales, where there is no real estate agent involved
  • Survivorship applications when a joint owner has passed away

There is more on our Winthrop conveyancing page, plus general information for purchasers and for sellers.

Perth Real Estate

Settlement agent FAQs for Winthrop

Is conveyancing the same as settlement in WA?

Pretty much. In WA the work is usually called settlement and is done by licensed settlement agents, who are also known as conveyancers, or by lawyers. We are a licensed settlement agent handling Winthrop property.

Do I have to attend settlement?

No. Transfers and mortgages in WA generally have to be lodged electronically, so settlement is completed online and you do not need to attend. We let you know once your Winthrop settlement has gone through.

Is there a cooling-off period when I buy in Winthrop?

Generally, no. Once a WA property contract is signed there is no cooling-off period unless one has been added as a special condition, so be sure before you sign.

Will my settlement agent come out to Winthrop?

In most cases, yes. Winthrop is a short trip from our Myaree office, so a home appointment to sign the paperwork can usually be arranged, including on weekends.