Settlement Agents for Spearwood Buyers and Sellers

Settlement agents for buyers and sellers

Spearwood sits roughly 20 km south-west of the Perth CBD, in Perth’s southern 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 is in Myaree, about 8 km from Spearwood, and we can come to you to sign documents, including on weekends.

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 Spearwood. 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.

What is typical of titles and transfers here

Suburbs like Spearwood 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.

Typical local settlements look like this:

• 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
• older titles carrying notifications or encumbrances worth explaining before settlement
• subdivided lots being sold individually

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

We handle settlements in the adjoining suburbs too, including conveyancing in North Coogee, Yangebup, Bibra Lake, Coolbellup and Munster.

What you can expect from us

Most of what a settlement agent does happens quietly in the background, which is exactly how it should feel. Searching the title and any restrictions on it, arranging for anything that should not stay on the title to be removed, obtaining rates, water and levy figures, preparing the settlement statement and the transfer, attending to duty, completing settlement and notifying the authorities afterwards, all sit with us rather than with you.

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.

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

Our conveyancing services

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.

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

Signing documents without the trip

Not everyone can get to an office between nine and five, and you should not have to. Our office is in Myaree, about 8 km from Spearwood, 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:

Your questions answered

The property is a rear survey-strata lot. Is that different to a normal transfer?

Slightly. A survey-strata lot has its own title, and there are often shared arrangements from the subdivision, such as a common driveway or shared services. We identify those and explain them before settlement.

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.

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 Spearwood 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.