Buying your first home in NSW involves decisions well before you collect the keys. Before signing anything, ask your conveyancer or solicitor to explain when you become committed, what conditions apply and what still needs checking. Conveyancing deserves space in your buying timetable from the start. Here is a practical way to organise the questions between making an offer and settlement, without assuming every property or contract follows the same path.
What conveyancing in NSW actually involves
Think of conveyancing as the work around transferring ownership: reviewing the sale contract, investigating title information and preparing for settlement. Ask your adviser to explain the scope of their service so you know which checks they arrange and which you need to book separately.
When choosing someone, check their credentials with the relevant professional or licensing body rather than relying on a job title alone. Ask who will handle your file, how to contact them and what happens if they are unavailable. Get a written quote that separates their fee from searches and other expenses. If another agent introduces the service, clarify who is actually doing the conveyancing and who will answer your questions about the contract.
The due diligence stage – before you exchange, not after
This is the stage to slow down and understand the property you are proposing to buy. Ask your adviser for a list of the checks they recommend and the decisions each one will help you make.
Have them explain the title search, any entries that need further investigation and anything that might affect your intended use of the property. If you are considering getting in touch with providers like Titlespace, ask directly what its conveyancing service includes and how it handles these questions. Do not assume an initial enquiry or an online listing replaces advice on your particular contract.
Alongside the title questions, discuss:
- A building and pest inspection, including what the inspector will and will not examine
- A strata report for a unit, with questions about by-laws, levies and known repair plans
- The relevant council planning information, including which documents address your questions about zoning, local risks or proposed development
Ask when each result should be available and what you should avoid agreeing to while important questions remain open. Keep the reports together and flag anything you do not understand. Receiving a document is not the same as knowing how it affects your purchase.
The cooling-off trap
Do not build your buying plan around an assumed cooling-off period. Ask your adviser whether one applies to this transaction, when it ends and what withdrawing would involve. Get the answer before relying on it as time to finish your inspections.
An auction purchase or a request involving a Section 66W certificate deserves a specific conversation with your conveyancer or solicitor. Ask what the proposed arrangement means for you, which checks remain outstanding and what options you would have if a problem appeared. Do not treat a document as a formality because someone is keen to move the sale along. If the timing changes, have the advice checked against the revised sequence rather than relying on an earlier conversation about a different deadline.
Settlement and the shift to electronic conveyancing
Ask how your settlement will be handled, including whether the process uses an electronic conveyancing workspace. Your adviser should explain the steps you need to take, the information they need from you and how you will receive updates. Keep those instructions somewhere you can find them without searching through every email about the purchase.
Use the settlement date in your contract and your adviser’s timetable, not a general estimate of how long a sale takes. Request a written breakdown of the amount needed, including fees and any adjustments for rates, water charges or strata levies. Ask what each adjustment covers and when the figures will be confirmed. Sorting out those questions beforehand gives you a clearer picture of the money required for the agreed settlement.
Don’t forget the paperwork that isn’t automatic
Ask about first-home-buyer assistance early enough to investigate it properly. A concession mentioned by a friend or in an older article may not describe your situation, and an advertised saving is not a personal eligibility decision.
Discuss the First Home Buyer Assistance Scheme with your adviser and check the current Revenue NSW information. Ask whether your proposed purchase qualifies, what evidence is needed, who submits the application and which deadlines apply. Keep the response with your purchase paperwork so you can follow up on anything still outstanding.
If you are buying a new home, ask separately about the First Home Owner Grant. Do not assume that an answer about one scheme settles the other. Build your budget around confirmed information rather than an unverified grant amount or duty saving.
Your contract needs individual review. This checklist is a way to prepare questions, not a substitute for that review. Keep the sequence clear: investigate the property, understand the contract and any cooling-off arrangements, prepare for settlement, and confirm who is handling assistance applications. That leaves you with specific decisions to make instead of a pile of unfamiliar paperwork.
