South Fremantle Settlement Agent

Your settlement, handled from offer to keys

South Fremantle lies roughly 15 km south-west of the Perth CBD, within Perth’s southern suburbs. An accepted offer in South Fremantle is the start of the settlement process, not the end of it, and the weeks that follow are where the detail matters.

With our office about 7 km to the north-east, we can meet you at home, including weekends, or handle everything remotely.

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 South Fremantle. 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.

How local property shapes the settlement process

The housing around South Fremantle is largely established rather than new, which means most transactions are transfers of existing homes, and a portion involve lots created out of larger original blocks.

That mix is why we do not treat any two South Fremantle 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.

The work that comes across our desk most often here:

• subdivided lots being sold individually
• beachside apartments and villas where strata by-laws cover short-stay letting
• established green-title transfers
• survey-strata rear lots and shared driveway arrangements
• villa and townhouse strata settlements, including levy adjustments

The same applies in the surrounding suburbs: settlement agent Fremantle, Beaconsfield, White Gum Valley, North Fremantle and Hilton.

What happens between offer and settlement day

Most of what a settlement agent does happens quietly in the background, which is exactly how it should feel. We check the title and anything registered on it, deal with the council, Water Corporation and any strata company, complete the verification of identity requirements, prepare and lodge the transfer, arrange transfer duty through State Revenue Online, produce the settlement statement, settle, and notify the authorities of the change of ownership.

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.

What else we do

Licensed in all aspects of conveyancing in Western Australia, we handle:

• 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.

Not sure which of these applies to your situation? Call and describe the property, and we will tell you what is involved.

We can come to you in South Fremantle

Not everyone can get to an office between nine and five, and you should not have to. Our office is in Myaree, about 7 km from South Fremantle, 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 for buyers and sellers

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.

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.

What does a settlement agent cost for a South Fremantle 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.

Don’t have time to get to an office?

Our services include South Fremantle 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.