Selecting your Agent

You're home is one of the most valuable assets, so naturally you want the best price possible!  You're home is one of the most valuable assets, so naturally you want the best price possible! Real estate agents compete for your business based on various criteria including advertising rates, sales commission, marketing strategy and comparable sales. It is recommended to obtain at least three appraisals from various estate agents and make your decision following this.

 

Not listing with an Agent - Selling Privately?

If you have decided to have a go at listing your property for sale privately, then we highly recommend you make an inquiry with For Sale By Owner or Buy My Place, they have some great services and products that will make it easy for you to promote your property privately.

 

They help you market and sell your property without incurring the high commission normally associated with Real Estate firms.

They have a range of services including listings on websites like realestate.com.au, domain.com.au and other portals, 'For Sale' signs (including photo boards), 'Open For Inspection' flags and pointer boards, professional brochures, property sales reports, and advice about anything relating to the sale of your property.

 

Contract of Sale

The Contract details the ownership, title details and the conditions of the sale together with what is included in the sale. It is prepared with all details leaving blank the buyer's details and the sale price.

 

There are certain documents that must be attached to the contract and section 32 that are specified by law.

 

These documents are called "Prescribed Documents" and form part of the Contract and Section 32 Statement. Without these documents a buyer can pull out of the contract without penalty.

 

These documents are:

 

• General Conditions

• Special Conditions

• Due Diligence Check List

• Building Plans and Specifications

• Plans of Subdivision

• Zoning certificate from council

• Sewer diagram showing the location of the authority’s sewer main

• A full title search obtained from the Land Titles Office

• Where a building is situated on the land

• There are certain warranties that the seller must give as described in law. These warranties are called "Prescribed Warranties" and they are:

 

That as the date of the contract:

 

The land is not subject to any adverse affectation, and

The land does not contain any part of a sewer main, and

The zoning certificate attached to the contract specifies the true status of the land, and

There is no matter in relation to any building that would justify on upgrading or demolition order, unless specified otherwise in the contract.

A Section 32 Statement must also include any evidence of owner builder warranty insurance if any building work has been completed in the last six years, the value of which exceeded $16,000.00. This should be discussed with your conveyancer before putting the property on the market for sale.

 

Estate agents and agency agreements

An Estate Agent must have an agency agreement signed before he can list your property for sale. If you are not sure of the terms of the agency agreement you should have your agent explain it to you.

 

Exchange of Contracts

Contracts are signed by all parties involved in the transaction and when the seller and buyer have both agreed on a price and the conditions of the sale the contracts are exchanged and dated and the deposit paid by the buyer.

 

Cooling-Off Period

Every contract for the sale of residential property (less than 20 hectares) has a cooling off period of three working days the cooling off period ends midnight on the third working day). This means that after entering into the contract the purchaser has three working days in which to "cool off". The seller is locked into the contract and cannot withdraw from the sale. If the purchaser finds that for any reason he or she does not want to proceed with the purchase they can rescind the contract within the three day period. If they do rescind the contract they forfeit to the vendor $100 or 0.2% of the sale price. The contract is then at an end and neither party has any further claim against the other.

 

There is no cooling off period if the property is sold at public auction or on the same day as the property was listed for auction, or three clear business days before or after the publicly advertised auction. If the is mainly for industrial or commercial purposes. If the property is more than 20 hectares in size and is used mainly for farming.

 

Discharge of Mortgage

If you owe money to a lender who has a mortgage registered then you will need to have the mortgage discharged at settlement. Your conveyancer will communicate with your mortgagee requesting they have a discharge of mortgage prepared in readiness for settlement, however most lenders will not do anything until they have your written authority to prepare the discharge, this authority also authorises the lender to communicate with your conveyancer, in particular regarding the amount required to payout your loan.

 

Your conveyancer will try and organise your lender to send their authority form to you but you are advised to contact your lender to organise this yourself.

 

The fixed payout figure will be given to your conveyancer and the loan will be paid out from the proceeds of your sale.

 

Building Insurance

All buildings on the property are at the seller's risk until settlement. It is therefore essential that all building insurances be maintained and not allowed to lapse before settlement.

 

If the buildings are damaged by fire or flood or some other catastrophe the buyer is not bound by the contract to proceed with the purchase. Depending on the amount of damage a buyer may proceed with the purchase after negotiating the price down to cover the cost of repairs but it is in the sellers best interest to keep the buildings insured.

 

If your policy is due before settlement you are advised to renew the policy and then claim a rebate where possible, after settlement. It is better to be sure than sorry.

 

Sold with vacant possession but tenant in possession

You must give adequate notice to vacate to the tenant, you must arrange with your conveyancer and your managing agent to give the notice at the appropriate time to ensure the you can adhere to the contract terms/timelines.  It is either you as the landlord or your managing estate agent who must give the notice to the tenant. Your conveyancer cannot give the notice but should check to see the notice has been served.

 

Council Rates

The Contract provides that council rates be adjusted between the vendor and purchaser as at the settlement date.

 

Council rates are levied for the financial year. They will be adjusted so that the vendor pays the rates up until the day of settlement and the purchaser will be liable from then until the end of the rating period, in this case the 30 June. They are adjusted as if the rates are paid in full regardless of whether they are in fact paid or not. Any outstanding rates are paid from the sale proceeds (being the vendor's money).

 

Council rates may be paid by instalments but are an annual levy and hence it is normal practice to adjust the rates for the next full year not according to what instalment may be due next.

 

The rates are a charge on the land and any outstanding rates become the liability of the purchaser, so it is essential that they are paid up to date at settlement. One of the inquiry certificates the purchaser's conveyancer will obtain is from council and sets out the amount of the annual rates, what payments have been made and what is outstanding.

 

Water Rates

Water rates are usually quarterly rates and the adjustment made will only be for the current quarter. The same principals apply to water rates as they do for council rates.

 

A water usage charge may have to be paid by the vendor. To assess whether a charge is payable or not the buyer's conveyancer should organise a meter reading with the relevant Water Authority and then any amount can be allowed for in the Statement of Adjustments at settlement.

 

Owners Corporation - Unit / Townhouse / Villa

If you are purchasing a lot in an Owners Corporation the quarterly fees will need to be adjusted. These fees are adjusted in the same manner as council rates except that they are adjusted on the quarterly not annual rate. The quarterly fees may begin at any time, they are not necessarily the quarters of the calendar year. Because the levies commenced on a date determined at the first annual general meeting held by the Owners Corporation the quarterly levies can commence at any date but for convenience it is usually but not necessarily from the beginning of a month.

 

There may also be special levies to take into consideration. A special levy is struck when and if there are not enough funds held by the owners corporation to cover either the normal running expenses or a special job has to be carried out and there are not enough funds held to cover the cost of that job.

 

Normally a special levy struck before the date of the contract has to be paid in full by the seller. Sometimes the special levy may be paid by instalments, if this is the case all instalments must be paid by the seller. If however a special levy is struck after the date of the contract then that levy is adjusted between seller and buyer.

 

Settlement

If the property is sold with vacant possession then you need to make arrangements to vacate the premises prior to or by the time of settlement.

 

The property should be left in a clean and tidy condition and all possessions moved from the property.

 

It is not always easy to arrange for removalists etc. to have you moved out before the settlement time but you should be advised that the buyer can refuse to settle if the property isn't vacant at settlement as promised. If need be, and you are able, you might consider moving out the day before settlement but remember that you are still liable for insurance and the safety of the premises until such time as settlement takes place.

 

If you are selling and buying simultaneously you may have to arrange to have left the sale property and to be en-route to the property you are buying while the settlement takes place. If this is the case make sure you are available in case something goes wrong or there is a hold up in the settlement.

 

After Settlement

When settlement has been completed your conveyancer will account to you for any of the proceeds of sale that are to be paid to you after all adjustments are made and any loan repaid.  Your conveyancer will confirm with you on how surplus funds will be distributed to after settlement has been finalised.  Your conveyancer will notify the relevant Council and Water Authority of the change of ownership after settlement on your behalf.

 

Sold with an existing tenant

If there is a tenant in the property who is staying after settlement, an adjustment of the rents will be made at settlement.

 

If the rent is paid in advance then you will make an allowance in the settlement figures to credit the new owner with that part of the rent that applies after the settlement date. If the rent is in arrears, no adjustment in your favour is made, as the new owner is not expected to take over a debt that is owed to you.

 

Quite often the managing agent may be holding rent in trust as they may collect rent weekly but account to the owner monthly. If this is the case the adjustment of rent will be made by the managing agent. Your conveyancer will determine how and what adjustments are to be made.

 

After settlement

When settlement has been completed your conveyancer will account to you for any of the proceeds of sale that are to be paid to you after all adjustments are made and any loan repaid.  Your conveyancer will notify the relevant Council and Water Authority of the change of ownership after settlement on your behalf.