Residential conveyancing is the legal work that transfers a home from seller to buyer in NSW. For a buyer it starts with reviewing the contract before exchange; for a seller, with preparing the contract before marketing. It then runs through exchange, searches, finance and adjustments to an electronic settlement, after which the transfer is registered with NSW Land Registry Services. We act for buyers, sellers and investors across NSW.
It is the legal work on a home purchase or sale, from the contract to settlement and registration of the transfer.
For buyers that means reviewing the contract, ordering searches, working with the lender and checking adjustments; for sellers it means preparing the contract, answering the buyer's requests and discharging the mortgage.
Your contract sets the settlement date.
Under the standard NSW contract, completion is the 42nd day after the contract date unless the parties agree on a different date, and NSW Government guidance says settlement generally takes place around 6 weeks after exchange. A longer or shorter period is usually negotiated before exchange; after exchange the date changes only by agreement or as the contract allows.
Every NSW land dealing has had to be lodged electronically since 11 October 2021, and paper certificates of title were cancelled.
Settlement and lodgment run through an Electronic Lodgment Network Operator, currently PEXA or Sympli, by a subscriber such as a solicitor or licensed conveyancer acting under your written authority.
It depends on whether you are buying or selling, the type of property and the work the contract needs, so we quote in writing before you engage us.
The quote lists our professional fees, then disbursements such as searches and electronic settlement fees, and government charges such as transfer duty and registration fees as separate amounts.
| Scenario | Best option | Typical timing | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buying an existing house or unit | Contract review before exchange, then purchase conveyancing to settlement | Settlement date set by the contract | Send the contract before you sign |
| Selling your home | Contract for sale prepared before marketing, then sale conveyancing | Contract ready before the listing; completion date agreed in the contract | Contact us when you appoint an agent |
| Selling and buying at the same time | Both matters handled together so the two contracts can be aligned | Completion dates negotiated in both contracts | Send both contracts, or the agent details for each |
Published by Baulkham Hills Conveyancing, a licensed NSW solicitor practice. Last updated 4 October 2026. General information only; contact us for advice about your matter.
Sources: Transfer duty: who pays and when; 100% eConveyancing from 11 October
A NSW seller must have the contract for sale prepared, with the prescribed documents attached, before the home is offered for sale. During the sale we deal with the buyer's representative about changes and the deposit, answer requisitions, arrange the discharge of your mortgage and check the adjustment figures.
Australian-resident sellers also need an ATO clearance certificate for every sale, whatever the price, or the buyer must withhold 15% of the price at settlement.
Sources: Sales contracts: obligations for agents; Foreign resident capital gains withholding overview
Some NSW contracts let the buyer make a final inspection, usually on or just before settlement day, to check the property is in the same condition as at exchange, so check whether yours does. Council and water rates are apportioned between buyer and seller to the settlement date as settlement adjustments.
Before settlement we prepare or check the adjustment sheet and the settlement statement, so you can see the amount you will pay or receive and where each payment goes.
Sources: Exchanging contracts and settlement
For a strata lot, the contract must attach property certificates for the lot and the common property, the strata plan and the by-laws. Buyers commonly add a strata inspection report, which combines a search of the owners corporation's records with the section 184 strata information certificate.
Investors should also consider land tax. For most owners it is assessed on the total taxable land value owned at midnight on 31 December, above a general threshold of $1,075,000 (2026 land tax year), and your principal place of residence is generally exempt. Special trusts, which can include family and discretionary trusts, get no threshold, and foreign owners of residential land also pay surcharge land tax. If the property is tenanted, check the lease, the bond and the rent position before exchange.
Sources: Conveyancing (Sale of Land) Regulation 2022; Buying a strata property; Land tax thresholds and rates
No. NSW settlements take place electronically between the representatives and the lenders, so neither buyer nor seller attends. We let you know when settlement has completed, and a buyer then collects the keys from the agent.
Some come with the contract, such as the title search, plan, drainage diagram and section 10.7 planning certificate. Depending on the property we may recommend others, such as a strata inspection, building and pest inspections, or checks on approvals for building work.
Yes. Transfer duty is calculated on the higher of the purchase price and the market value, and first home buyer concessions do not apply to an investment purchase. Foreign persons buying residential-related property also pay surcharge purchaser duty of 9% of the dutiable value on top of transfer duty, unless an exemption applies. Separately, from 1 April 2025 most foreign persons cannot buy established dwellings under federal law.
Yes, but the two contracts are separate, so the completion dates, the deposit for your purchase and your finance need to be planned together. Common approaches include negotiating matching settlement dates or arranging bridging finance with your lender.
No. Paper certificates of title in NSW were cancelled from 11 October 2021. Once the transfer is registered, NSW Land Registry Services records you as the registered proprietor electronically, and a title search shows your ownership.
Ready to start? Send us the contract or property details: call (02) 9000 1408, email info@baulkhamhillsconveyancing.com.au or request a quote online.