Getting your Scarborough property settled
Sitting roughly 15 km north of our Myaree office, Scarborough is part of Perth’s northern suburbs. An accepted offer feels like the finish line, but for the conveyancing it is really the starting gun.
A quick bit of WA background: here the people who handle conveyancing are licensed settlement agents (also known as conveyancers) or lawyers. Jacaranda Settlements is a licensed settlement agent. Where your situation calls for legal advice, we will recommend you get it rather than guess.
We are only a short drive away, so if you would rather sit down and go through the documents at home or at work, we can do that.
Why Scarborough sales are not all the same
Coastal suburbs like Scarborough see a lot of redevelopment, with old blocks split, rebuilt or turned into units. All of that leaves a trail on the title, and reading it properly is half the job.
- Large amounts moving at settlement are exactly what payment redirection scammers target, so bank details get confirmed by phone
- Apartments and villas near the beach are usually strata, so the strata company’s information needs to come in early
- Older lots split into two or three often sit on survey-strata titles with shared driveways
- Title searched and any issues raised early, not the week before settlement
- Rates, water and any strata levies adjusted so each side pays only their share
Neighbouring suburbs we cover include Doubleview settlement agent, Trigg, Karrinyup, Wembley Downs and Innaloo.
Inside a Scarborough conveyancing file
Property settlements are a target for payment redirection scams, where someone hacks or copies an email account and sends you new bank details. On a Scarborough sale or purchase, the rule is simple: confirm any bank details by calling a number you already know, never one in the email.
We will never change our bank details by email. If you get a message that says otherwise, ring us on 6266 6961 before you do anything.
Settlement agent services for Scarborough
Whether it is a first home or a family transfer, these are the Scarborough jobs we do:
- Transfer duty arranged through State Revenue Online as part of the settlement
- Settlements for houses, duplexes, townhouses and villa strata, for buyers and sellers
- Vacant land settlements
- Strata settlements, including strata information and levy adjustments
- Private sales, where there is no real estate agent involved
- Survivorship applications when a joint owner has passed away
- Transfers under court orders following a separation
For the conveyancing side of a local sale, see Scarborough conveyancing. Buying? Start for purchasers. Selling? Start for sellers.
Common questions about Scarborough settlements
When is transfer duty paid?
Transfer duty is generally due within two months of the liability arising, and it is usually the buyer who pays. We arrange it through State Revenue Online as part of your Scarborough settlement.
The owner has died and the property was held as joint tenants. What happens?
The surviving joint tenant applies to Landgate to be registered as the owner, which is called a survivorship application. It needs a death certificate, a statutory declaration and identity verification. We can prepare and lodge it.
I am buying vacant land off the plan in Scarborough. When does it settle?
Off-the-plan land can only settle after its certificate of title is issued. Check the sunset clause in your contract, and make sure your deposit is held in a trust account.
Will my settlement agent come out to Scarborough?
In most cases, yes. Scarborough is a short trip from our Myaree office, so a home appointment to sign the paperwork can usually be arranged, including on weekends.