Spearwood settlements without the jargon
From our Myaree office, Spearwood is about 8 km south-west. It is in Perth’s southern suburbs, an area we look after regularly, and the job is the same wherever the property is: get the paperwork right and the settlement done on the agreed date.
WA does things slightly differently to the eastern states. Conveyancing here is done by licensed settlement agents or by lawyers, and settlement agents work under the Settlement Agents Act 1981 and a code of conduct. We are licensed, and we will tell you when a question is really one for a lawyer.
You are close to our office, so you can drop in, have us come to you, or handle the whole thing by phone. Your call.
Spearwood titles, strata and everything in between
Close to the coast, Spearwood has a real mix: older homes on decent blocks, newer builds where something older was knocked down, and apartments and villas within reach of the beach. That mix matters, because a strata unit settles quite differently to a green title house.
- If there is a tenant in place, the contract needs to say how that is being handled
- Knock-down-rebuild sites can carry easements or notifications worth checking straight away
- Large amounts moving at settlement are exactly what payment redirection scammers target, so bank details get confirmed by phone
- A settlement statement that sets out the final figures before the day
- Lodgement with Landgate through electronic settlement
Selling or buying nearby instead? See settlement agent for North Coogee, Yangebup, Bibra Lake, Coolbellup and Munster.
The Spearwood settlement timeline
When you buy in Spearwood, your deposit is normally held in a trust account until settlement rather than going straight to the seller. Settlement agents in WA must keep client money in a statutory trust account, and those accounts have to be audited.
At settlement the deposit and the balance of the price go to the seller, less anything owed to their bank, and we confirm the numbers with you before the day.
The Spearwood settlements we take on
Common Spearwood conveyancing jobs that come across our desk:
- Lodgement of documents with Landgate
- Green title and strata title subdivision settlements
- 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
More detail is on our Spearwood conveyancing page, along with our settlement process overview.
Settlement agent FAQs for Spearwood
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 Spearwood 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 Spearwood. 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 Spearwood?
In most cases, yes. Spearwood is a short trip from our Myaree office, so a home appointment to sign the paperwork can usually be arranged, including on weekends.