The essential role of final title searches in property transactions

The essential role of final title searches in property transactions For property lawyers and conveyancers, the property settlement process is complex, requiring careful management to protect clients from potential legal and financial risks. A recent New South Wales Supreme Court case has underscored the critical need for conducting final title searches, which serve as a […]

Preventing fraud: the essence of due diligence

Preventing fraud: the essence of due diligence Property settlements in Western Australia have gone through a major change over the years with electronic conveyancing being introduced. Standalone transfers in Western Australia were mandated back in December of 2018, however there are still exemptions for certain scenarios that require paper settlement/lodgment and are currently out of […]

How to add a layer of legitimacy to your identity verification process to reduce identity fraud

How to add a layer of legitimacy to your identity verification process to reduce identity fraud This is the second part of the SettleIT education series supporting practitioners to navigate the e-settlements and e-conveyancing landscape. See part one here. This article does not constitute legal advice. It is for general information purposes only.   There is the notion that introducing technology into […]

Working longer hours won’t grow your firm, but here are some things that will

Hand putting clock in piggy bank

Working longer hours won’t grow your firm, but here are some things that will We’ve all heard the old adage – work smarter not harder, but in a competitive market it is important to get ahead and stay ahead. You may find it tempting to work longer hours, especially if you’re at home. However, reality […]

Real Estate activity is rising, how is your firm keeping up?

Upwards arrows with house representing real estate activity increasing

Real estate activity is rising, how is your firm keeping up? Recent adjustments to stamp duty across NSW and Victoria aim to kickstart the economy and Real Estate Agents, property lawyers and conveyancers will benefit. In Victoria, stamp duty will be slashed up to 50%, but this will only apply to newly built homes up to the value of […]

Why you need a property lawyer or conveyancer when you buy a property

Writing on paper

Why you need a property lawyer or conveyancer when you buy a property Buying a property is a huge milestone and likely to be the biggest purchase you’ll ever make, so it pays to have your wits about you. The process of buying a home can be exciting, but scary to navigate. There are plenty of […]

The ACT closes in on eConvaceyancing mandate

The ACT closes in on eConveyancing mandate On June 1, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) introduced amendments to the Electronic Conveyancing National Law (ACT) Act 2020 and the Land Titles (Electronic Conveyancing) Legislation Amendment Act 2020 (ACT). The changes mean the ACT is slowly introducing elements of the e-conveyancing workflow to assist lawyers and conveyancers with the […]

New NSW building law could be a game changer for apartment safety

New NSW building law could be a game changer for apartment safety Matthew Bell, Senior Lecturer and Co-Director of Studies for Construction Law, University of Melbourne This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Three years have passed since a cladding-fuelled fire claimed 72 lives in Grenfell Tower, London, on June 14 2017. The construction […]

3 ways to complete your NSW Electronic Duties Return (EDR) or eDuties services

3 ways to complete your NSW Electronic Duties Return (EDR) or eDuties services Recently, Revenue NSW announced an update that commencing May 4, 2020, “all complex assessing and refund applications must be lodged digitally through our eDuties service.” This is a result of the unprecedented COVID-19 environment and the challenges lawyers, conveyancers and the financial industry now face […]