Your conveyancer is the only professional working for you in the transfer of a property. Here is what that actually involves, what it should cost, and how to tell a good one from a bad one.
A conveyancer (or solicitor, in states that use that term) is the legal professional who transfers property from seller to buyer. In Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia, they are called conveyancers. In Western Australia and Tasmania, the profession uses "solicitor".
Every buyer must appoint one. It is not optional, and it is not a formality — the conveyancer is the only party acting to protect your legal interests in the transfer.
What a conveyancer actually does
Between signing and settlement, your conveyancer is running a legal process in your name. This is the work you are paying for:
| Stage | What they do | What can go wrong |
|---|---|---|
| After signing | Order title searches, council rates certificates, water and sewer certificates, and an Owners Corporation certificate for units | Search results can reveal defects in title, unpaid rates, or an undischarged mortgage the seller forgot |
| Contract review | Explain the contract, flag unusual clauses, confirm you understand cooling-off | Most buyers only discuss fees, never read the clauses. This is where value is added or missed |
| Settlement | Attend or coordinate the settlement, ensure funds are received, register your mortgage, hand over the balance | Shortfall at settlement — the most common cause of a failed settlement |
| After registration | Registration of your title and mortgage, discharge the seller's mortgage, release the deposit | Registration errors surface weeks later, requiring a further dealing |
Use the conveyancer of your choosing
You are entitled to appoint your own conveyancer. Your agent or lender will "suggest" one — usually because they receive a referral fee from that practice. This is common and usually not improper, but it is a conflict of interest, and you can decline. Ask what it costs you to use your own: in most states, nothing at all.
How fees work — and why yours may differ
Conveyancing fees in Australia usually include a fixed professional fee plus disbursements: the cost of third-party searches, registration fees and certificates that the conveyancer pays on your behalf.
Typical 2026 ranges for a standard residential property. Higher in NSW and Victoria. Unit purchases add an Owners Corporation certificate, usually $250–$500.
The fee quote is not a blank cheque
Ask your conveyancer for a written fixed-fee quote at the start. It should list what is included and what is disbursement. If it is hourly, ask what the hourly rate is and roughly how many hours they expect. This conversation is normal and any competent conveyancer will take it without offence.
How to find a good one
- Look for a membership of the relevant state body — the Law Society, the Institute of Conveyancers, or the Queensland Law Society. Membership means a formal complaints process and professional indemnity insurance.
- Specialise in the property type. A conveyancer who does nothing but off-the-plan apartment settlements in your city will know the developers' contract patterns cold. A generalist may not.
- Ask about low-deposit experience. With the 5% Deposit Scheme, more buyers are using government guarantees and unusual payment structures. Your conveyancer should be comfortable with these.
- Check they are not on a developer's panel for the project you are considering, if you have any choice.
- Confirm communication. Who is your actual point of contact? What is their turnaround time on documents? Some use paralegals; that is fine if you know who does what.
- Compare two quotes on the same scope. Large differences usually mean different scope, not different value — ask what is included in each.
Questions to ask at the first meeting
The seven questions worth asking
1. What is the total fee, including disbursements? · 2. What happens if the contract terminates — do I still pay? · 3. What searches have you ordered and when will I see them? · 4. What could stop this settlement completing? · 5. When do I need to have the funds available? · 6. Who is my day-to-day contact? · 7. What is your turnaround time on documents?
Red flags worth walking away from
- Pressure to sign without reading the contract, or "we'll send it through after".
- A conveyancer who will not explain clauses in plain language.
- No written fee quote, or an open-ended hourly estimate.
- Being asked to pay a large disbursement deposit up front before searches are quoted.
- Not being told about the cooling-off period, or the deadline for it.
Choose the person who makes the process clearer, not the person who moves fastest. First home buyers should expect to spend a couple of hours across two meetings with their conveyancer. If that time feels like a nuisance, the value of the professional has been misunderstood.
We publish general information, not legal or financial advice. Off-the-plan contracts, conveyancing and settlement law vary by state and by individual circumstances. Always have your own independent legal adviser review any contract before you sign — the cost is trivial against the risk. Found something wrong? Tell us.