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Our Services
Our specialty is regional and rural. We look after you for your purchase or sale of residences and vacant land in regional and rural towns and villages, as well as small or large rural farming and/or grazing property, including Western Lands Lease property and residential camps (which have requirements in addition to freehold rural and residential property transactions).
We prepare for you the legal paperwork required when buying or selling property (such as a residence or a strata unit, small or large rural acreage, and Western Lands Lease property and residential mining camps). We obtain searches and necessary certificates, prepare or peruse Contracts for Sale & Purchase, we liaise with your lender, prepare and check settlement adjustment figures and bring the contract to completion.
We also prepare commercial leases, residential tenancy agreements, small vendor finance mortgages and look after retail business sale and purchase transactions.
We can attend to registration of Notices of Death and Transmission applications.
Staying Safe from Settlement Scams - STOP, CHECK, PROTECT
Essential tips for awareness and prevention of scams when selling or purchasing
What is a property scam?
A property scam is when fraudsters trick people involved in buying or selling property by pretending to be someone they trust, like their real estate agent or conveyancer or solicitor, and asking for money to be sent to a different bank account. By the time anyone realises the money went to a scammer instead of the right person, the funds are usually gone and very hard to get back. These scams often happen right when people are about to make important payments, like deposits or final settlements.
How do they happen?
1. You receive a very convincing fake email The scammer pretends to be someone you trust in your property transaction by either hacking their email or creating a very similar email address that looks legitimate.
2. The scammers strike with precision timing They watch and wait for just the right moment - usually when you’re about to make a big payment like your deposit or settlement. That’s when they strike with their fake payment instructions.
3. The email seems legitimate Their emails look completely real - they use proper letterheads, signatures, and even attachments. They create urgency around sending the payment to their “new” bank account.
4. Before you know it, the money is gone Once you send the money to what you think is the right account, the scammers quickly move it elsewhere, making it nearly impossible to get back.
5. Most people only discover they’ve been scammed when their real agent or conveyancer or solicitor asks why they haven’t received the payment. By then, the money is long gone and your bank is most likely unable to recover your funds.
How to protect yourself
Remember to Stop. Check. Protect
STOP:
• Watch for urgency tactics. • Scammers create panic for you to act immediately with looming deadlines. Don’t act until you’re sure.
CHECK:
• Always take the time to verify that requests are legitimate. • Contact us to confirm any requests on a phone number you can verify, such as through a Google search.
PROTECT:
• Don’t send sensitive information over email, like payment details. • Use multi-factor authentication • Use strong, unique passwords for any property related accounts, including emails and banking • Ask us about using a free, secure app like PEXA Key for the transaction
IN ADDITION:
Revenue NSW is aware of scams related to duty payments and communications between you and your solicitor or conveyancer. Stay vigilant and verify any payment requests with your solicitor or conveyancer.
Revenue NSW will never ask for duty payments to be made using bank account details provided in an email.
Latest News
CONVEYANCING TRANSACTIONS ON LINE
All conveyancing transactions are now completed on-line. Complete Rural Conveyancing has been a subscriber of the PEXA electronic workspace (ELNO) since its inception. See link to find out more about PEXA:
FIRST HOME BUYERS ASSISTANCE SCHEME
To be eligible for an exemption or reduction in the amount of transfer duty payable you will need to be a first home buyer who purchases a new home or a vacant block of land on which you intend to build a new home. For the full exemption to apply (ie. the requirement to pay transfer duty is waived completely), the value of the home being purchased must be no more than $1,000,000 and the value of a vacant block of residential land must be no more than $400,000.
A concessional rate of duty will apply to homes valued more than $1,000,000 but less than $1,500,000 and vacant block of land valued more than $400,000 and less than $500,000.
https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/grants-schemes/first-home-buyer
To find out what other assistance might be available for the purchase of your first home, go to:
The First Home Buyer Choice calculator is an online tool that will help eligible NSW first home buyers make an informed choice. The calculator is for informational purposes only and does not replace financial or legal advice.
This initiative is in addition to the existing First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant, and the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme offering transfer duty exemptions and concessions.
FIRST HOME OWNER (New Homes) GRANT
What's on offer
- $10,000 towards the purchase price, in addition to the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme benefits
Requirements
- Buying or building your first home
- It's a new home that no-one has lived in before
- It's worth no more than $750,000
- Find out more - First Home Owner (New Homes) Grant | Revenue NSW
SURCHARGE PURCHASER DUTY
From 21 June 2016, if you are considered a foreign person and are acquiring residential-related property NSW, you must pay surcharge purchaser duty.
Surcharge purchaser duty is calculated on the dutiable value and is paid in addition to the transfer duty payable on the acquisition of residential-related property.
Refer to Surcharge purchaser duty for more information.
CERTIFICATES OF TITLES for property in NSW
On 11 October 2021, new changes to the land titles system in NSW were introduced that transitioned NSW away from paper-based processes, to enable a more stream-lined electronic system.
Existing Certificates of Title were cancelled and Certificates of Title will no longer be issued. Please note, if you borrowed from a lender for your purchase before 11 October 2021, you did not receive a Certificate of Title anyway! However, if you were a cash buyer (ie saved up enough so you did not have to borrow), a Certificate of Title was issued by NSW Land Registry Services but this no longer occurs - please do not be alarmed by this, because following settlement and registration into your name, we can and do provide you with a 'title search' showing you are now the registered owner (or lessee) of the property, to give you peace of mind.
The Torrens Title Register has always been and will continue to be the single source of truth as to the ownership of a person’s home and land. The Torrens Title Register is securely stored and backed up by both NSW Land Registry Services and the Office of the Registrar General.
Please see this link if you would like more information:
FAQs - Frequently asked questions
What happens if there are outstanding Council or water rates owing on a property I am purchasing? These are paid usually to 30 June in the current rating year at settlement from the vendor's sale proceeds. The purchaser contributes their share of Council rates to the vendor from the date of settlement to 30 June.
How do I know if the improvements have Council approval? If the vendor is not in possession of Council Certificates, the vendor will usually authorise a potential purchaser to inspect the Council records for the property. A purchaser can apply for a Building Certificate from Council, if required.
Do I have to pay transfer (formerly called stamp) duty? How much is it?
A purchaser will generally have to pay transfer duty - see the link to calculate the amount you will need to pay -
Transfer of land or business calculator
What if I am a first home buyer? There are a number of government schemes in place to assist first home buyers. See details above.
Check out this link to see if you are eligible as a first home buyer: https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/grants-schemes/first-home-buyer
COVID 19
It appears that COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted and hopefully that does not need to change. We encourage you to comply with guidelines, whatever they may currently be, to stay safe and, in any case, always wash your hands regularly and stay home if you are feeling unwell.