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Our Services
Our specialty is regional and rural in New South Wales. We look after you for your purchase or sale of residences and vacant land all over New South Wales and particularly in regional and rural towns and villages, as well as small or large rural farming and/or grazing property, including Western Lands Lease property. We are able to ably assist for the sale and purchase of Western Lands Lease residential mining camps at Lightning Ridge NSW (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 or a Water Licence. 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, small vendor finance mortgages and look after small business sale and purchase transactions.
We can attend to registration of Notices of Death and Transmission applications.
AML & CTF Changes
Starting 1 July 2026, Australian law firms including conveyancers are required to comply with updated Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing regulations.
As part of these changes, we may request additional identity verifications and financial details to meet our compliance regulations. Check out this link for further details: Why you might be asked for ID | AUSTRAC
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 ONLINE
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:
About Property Exchange Australia | 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 $800,000 and the value of a vacant block of residential land must be no more than $350,000.
A concessional rate of duty will apply to homes valued more than $800,000 but less than $1,000,000 and vacant block of land valued more than $350,000 and less than $450,000.
First Home Buyers Assistance scheme | Revenue NSW
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 $600,000
- You are buying vacant land to build a new home
- The value of the vacant land and new home is 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 individuals | Revenue NSW for more information.
SURCHARGE LAND TAX
Foreign persons who own residential land in NSW must pay surcharge land tax. Learn how it is calculated and assess your eligibility for an exemption. Refer to
Surcharge land tax for foreign owners | Revenue NSW
FOREIGN RESIDENT CAPITAL GAINS WITHHOLDING CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE
Foreign residents selling Australian property are subject to a 15% capital gains withholding at settlement unless a clearance certificate or variation notice is provided.
Overview
Foreign Resident Capital Gains Withholding (FRCGW) is a mechanism designed to ensure foreign residents meet their capital gains tax (CGT) obligations when disposing of Australian property, including residential, commercial, and vacant land, as well as certain indirect interests like shares in “land-rich” companies.
Clearance certificate: Australian residents need to provide a Clearance certificate from the ATO to avoid having to pay a withholding tax. Each vendor must have their own certificate, which when issued by the Australian Tax Office is usually valid for 12 months, unless an Australian resident's circumstances change.
Key Points (Effective from 1 January 2025)
- Clearance certificate: Australian residents must provide a certificate from the ATO to avoid withholding. Each vendor must have their own certificate, valid for 12 months
- Withholding rate: 15% of the property sale price applies to all taxable Australian property, regardless of value, unless a Clearance Certificate is provided.
- Previous threshold: Before 1 January 2025, only residential property valued at AUD 750,000 or more was subject to withholding at 12.5% for a foreign resident or non-resident Australian citizen.
- Variation notice: Foreign residents may apply for a variation notice to reduce the withholding rate to between 0% and 14.99% depending on their circumstances
Find out more:
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 no longer 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
PRIVACY NOTICE
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