Where the time goes in a sale
A sale runs from preparing the contract, to going to market, to accepting an offer, to settlement. Two stages are where delays usually creep in: getting the contract and disclosure ready at the start, and coordinating everyone at settlement. The old way adds waiting to both: office visits, posted documents, and a lot of leaving messages.
Getting sale-ready sooner
Every state wants paperwork in place before a buyer signs, and in New South Wales before you can even offer the property for sale. Your conveyancer can prepare the contract and the disclosure online while the agent is still booking photos, so the listing isn't held up waiting on the legal side. What has to be ready differs by state (table below). For the detail on timing, see getting ready to sell.
Turning offers around quickly
When an offer lands, momentum matters. A buyer who's waiting days on contract changes is a buyer still looking at other places. At Zettle Conveyancing, contracts are reviewed within four business hours.
Signing without the office trip
You sign securely online instead of booking a time to sign in person. Handy if you're interstate, at work, or already living in the next place. Your identity is checked once with a facial biometric match, then used to confirm it's really you each time after that. More in verification of identity.
Knowing where things are up to
Rather than chasing a progress update, you can see it in the app. Nobody has to call you back to tell you nothing's changed.
Settling electronically
Settlement runs through PEXA, so the money and the title transfer happen digitally on the day. No bank cheques, no settlement agents meeting in a room.
The cost side
A fixed professional fee is agreed before work starts, so the cost of the legal side is known up front instead of adding up by the hour. Searches and government fees are passed on at cost. See your state's pricing page for current fees, or what it costs to sell a property.
The bottom line
Online conveyancing doesn't change what legally has to happen to sell your home. It changes how quickly and how visibly it happens, which is the bit sellers actually feel.
At a glance: what must be ready, by state
| State | Seller disclosure | When | Who can act for you | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QLD | Seller disclosure statement (Form 2) plus prescribed certificates | Before the buyer signs the contract (required since 1 August 2025) | Solicitors | qld.gov.au: seller disclosure scheme |
| NSW | Contract for sale with prescribed documents attached, such as a title search, drainage diagram and planning certificate | Before the property is offered for sale | Licensed conveyancers or solicitors | NSW Government: sales contracts |
| VIC | Vendor statement (Section 32) | Before the buyer signs the contract | Licensed conveyancers or solicitors | Consumer Affairs Victoria: contracts and disclosure statements |
Selling soon? Get a fixed-fee quote in a couple of minutes, and we'll have your contract ready before the agent's photos are. See fixed fees: QLD · NSW · VIC. Just Zettle it.
Zettle Conveyancing is a solicitor-led online conveyancing practice for QLD, NSW and VIC, with offices in Maroochydore, Sydney and Melbourne.
General information only, not legal advice.
