Brisbane conveyancing questions, answered

Professional fees for a routine Brisbane conveyance typically range from a few hundred to around a thousand dollars, and many solicitors offer a fixed-fee quote. On top of the professional fee you also pay government charges and disbursements such as title searches, certificates and registration, which vary by property. Always confirm in writing exactly what is and is not included before you engage anyone.

Transfer duty, previously called stamp duty, is the Queensland state tax on a property purchase, administered by the Queensland Revenue Office. General rates are tiered, for example $1,050 plus $3.50 per $100 over $75,000 up to $540,000. First home buyers and owner-occupiers may qualify for concessions, so it is worth getting your figure checked by a solicitor or the QRO estimator.

Eligible first home buyers pay no transfer duty on a home valued at $700,000 or under, with a partial concession between $700,001 and $799,999. For contracts dated 1 May 2025 or later, eligible first home buyers of a brand-new home pay zero duty with no value cap. Eligibility rules apply, so confirm your situation with a solicitor.

No, they are two separate schemes. The First Home Owner Grant is a cash grant for new homes under $750,000, while the first home transfer duty concession reduces or removes the duty you pay. You may be eligible for one, both or neither depending on the property and your circumstances. A solicitor in our network can help you check both.

A fixed fee is a set professional fee agreed up front for a routine transaction, while hourly billing charges for time spent and can suit complex matters. Either way, government charges and disbursements such as searches and registration are additional. Most solicitors in our network offer fixed-fee quotes for standard buying and selling, confirmed in writing.

No. Unlike some other states, Queensland does not licence non-lawyer conveyancers. Conveyancing in Queensland must be done by a solicitor holding a current practising certificate, or under their supervision. The firms in our network are Queensland Law Society-member solicitors.

A standard residential contract in Queensland commonly allows around 30 to 45 days from signing to settlement, though the parties can agree a shorter or longer period. Conditions such as finance approval and building and pest inspection usually fall due in the first couple of weeks. Your solicitor will confirm the key dates on your contract.

Yes, a building and pest inspection is strongly recommended and is usually included as a condition of the contract. It checks the structure and for pests such as termites, and can let you renegotiate or withdraw if serious problems are found. Your solicitor will advise how the inspection condition works and the deadline to act on it.

Typical searches include a title search to confirm the owner and any encumbrances, plus council, water, rates and other property searches depending on the property type. They are designed to reveal anything that could affect your ownership or use of the land. Your solicitor selects the searches relevant to your property and explains the results.

On settlement day the balance of the purchase price is paid, any existing mortgage is discharged, the transfer is lodged and ownership passes to the buyer, usually electronically through a platform like PEXA. Rates and water are adjusted between the parties as at that date. Once settlement is confirmed, the buyer can collect the keys.

Most residential contracts in Queensland have a 5 business day cooling-off period under the Property Occupations Act 2014. It starts the day you receive the contract signed by both you and the seller and ends at 5pm on the fifth business day. If you terminate during this time, the seller may keep up to 0.25% of the purchase price as a penalty.

No. The cooling-off period does not apply to property bought at auction, and it also does not apply if a registered bidder buys within two business days after an auction. This is why it is important to have the contract reviewed before you bid rather than after. We can connect you with a solicitor to review auction contracts in advance.

From 1 August 2025, under the Property Law Act 2023, a seller must give the buyer a signed Form 2 Seller Disclosure Statement plus prescribed certificates before the buyer signs the contract. It sets out key facts about the property and title. Solicitors in our network prepare this for sellers and review it for buyers.

The Form 2 statement and prescribed certificates cover matters such as the title details, encumbrances, rates and water, and other prescribed information about the property. The exact certificates depend on the property. Because the disclosure must be correct and given before signing, sellers should have a solicitor prepare it.

The Australian Registrars' National Electronic Conveyancing Council, known as ARNECC, develops and maintains the national rules for electronic conveyancing. Platforms such as PEXA operate as Electronic Lodgment Networks within that framework. The land register itself is maintained by Titles Queensland.

The Queensland First Home Owner Grant is currently $30,000 towards an eligible new home valued under $750,000, for contracts signed between 20 November 2023 and 30 June 2026. It is scheduled to revert to $15,000 from 1 July 2026. You must move in within one year and live there for at least six months. The grant is administered by the Queensland Revenue Office.

As joint tenants, co-owners hold the whole property together and a deceased owner's share automatically passes to the survivor. As tenants in common, each owner holds a defined share that can be left to whoever they choose in their will. The right choice depends on your relationship and estate planning, so it is worth getting advice before settlement.

Yes, property can be transferred between family members, for example adding a partner to the title or transferring after a relationship change. Transfer duty may still apply depending on the circumstances, and there are specific rules for some family transfers. A solicitor in our network can advise on the duty and prepare the transfer documents.

They review your contract, carry out title and property searches, advise on conditions and dates, calculate and arrange transfer duty, liaise with the other side and your lender, and manage settlement so ownership transfers correctly. In Queensland this is legal work, so it is handled by a solicitor. We connect you with Queensland Law Society-member solicitors who carry out this work for you.

Off-the-plan means buying before the property is built, so risks include construction delays, the finished product differing from the plans, sunset clauses, and changes in value or finance between contract and completion. The disclosure and contract terms are detailed and specific to each development. Have a solicitor review an off-the-plan contract carefully before you sign.

PEXA, short for Property Exchange Australia, is the online platform on which solicitors, conveyancers and banks lodge documents and complete property settlement electronically. In Queensland, many property instruments must now be lodged electronically through this kind of system. It means settlement happens online rather than parties meeting in person.

The contract sets the price, the conditions, the dates and your rights if something goes wrong, and once signed it is binding subject only to limited cooling-off rights. A solicitor can spot unfavourable terms, missing conditions or disclosure problems before you commit. We can connect you with a Queensland Law Society-member solicitor to review your contract.

No. This website is a lead generation and referral service. We connect property buyers and sellers with Queensland Law Society-member solicitors and conveyancing firms. We are not a law firm, do not hold a practising certificate, and do not provide legal services or legal advice. All conveyancing work is carried out by the independent solicitor we connect you with.