Get started with a quote
/
Buying property

Buying property

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make, and there are more moving parts than most people expect — getting finance-ready, finding the right property, the contract, and settlement. These guides walk you through each stage of a purchase: what to check at each step, and where buyers most often get caught out, with the differences that matter across NSW, QLD and VIC.

Browse by stage

Getting ready to buy

The groundwork before you start looking: how buying works, what conveyancing costs, and getting your contract checked before you sign.

→

Finding and assessing a property

What to look at before you commit to a property: its condition, the numbers, the contract and title, and anything that could affect how you use it.

→

Offer, contract and conditions

How the offer and contract stage works: what happens after you make an offer, when a contract becomes binding, and why your conditions and deadlines matter.

→

Settlement

The final stage of buying: how settlement timing works, your rights if it runs late, and getting the keys handed over as agreed.

→

Buying or selling in your state

Buying property in Queensland: the complete state guide

Your plain-English guide to buying a home in Queensland: the contract, cooling-off, transfer duty and settlement, and what to check at each step.

→

Buying property in New South Wales: the complete state guide

Your plain-English guide to buying in New South Wales: exchange, cooling-off, and your rights through to settlement, with what to check at each step.

→

Buying property in Victoria: the complete state guide

Your plain-English guide to buying in Victoria: the vendor's statement, cooling-off, duty and settlement, and what to check at each step.

→

Explainers

What is the cooling-off period when buying property?

The cooling-off period is a set window after signing where you can withdraw for any reason, for a small penalty worked out on the purchase price and taken from your deposit. It never applies to auction purchases, in any state.

What's the difference between chattels and fixtures when buying a property?

Chattels are movable items that aren't included in a sale unless agreed in the contract, while fixtures are permanently attached and generally included. The key test is whether removing the item would damage the property.

What happens if I miss the deposit deadline when buying a property?

A deposit is part payment of the purchase price you pay when signing the contract. Paying it on time secures the property and takes it off the market to other buyers; if you don't pay by the date required in the contract, the seller may terminate and claim compensation — even after you eventually pay.

What happens if my finance isn't approved in time when buying a property?

Finance approval is your lender's formal agreement to fund the purchase. Where your contract is subject to finance, you must take all reasonable steps to obtain approval by the finance date — applying promptly and following up diligently — then notify the seller in writing before the deadline whether it's approved, waived, or not approved.

What do I need to do to comply with the finance and building & pest conditions in my contract?

Complying with contract conditions means satisfying the requirements your contract is subject to — typically a finance condition or a building and pest inspection condition — by the relevant deadlines. You must take reasonable steps to meet them in time, or you may lose the right to terminate on those grounds.

What is Section 27 early release of deposit in Victoria, and how does it work?

Section 27 of Victoria's Sale of Land Act 1962 lets a buyer's deposit be released to the seller before settlement, instead of being held in trust, if certain conditions are met.

What happens if a buyer defaults on a property contract in QLD?

A buyer default happens when the buyer fails to meet their contract obligations, and the seller then has several remedies available to recover their position and be compensated for losses.

Guides

Getting your contract reviewed before you sign

Why having your contract of sale reviewed before you sign matters, what a review covers, and how it protects your deposit and position.
→

What conveyancing costs, and how to read a quote

Why a conveyancing bill has two very different parts, what sits in each, and how to compare quotes without being caught out by the headline number.
→

Signed and now unsure? What cooling-off protects — and what pulling out costs

The cooling-off period when buying: how long you have to change your mind, what pulling out costs, and how the rules differ in VIC, QLD and NSW.
→

“Subject to finance” — what happens if your loan falls through before settlement

How the 'subject to finance' condition works: pre-approval versus unconditional, the timeframes, and what happens if your loan is delayed or declined.
→

How to choose a conveyancer

What actually separates a good conveyancer from a stressful one, what to compare, and the questions worth asking before you engage anyone.
→
Ask Zoe

READY TO BUY?

Make your move with Zettle

One fixed fee, free contract reviews, and a dedicated conveyancer from contract to settlement.

Get a quote

Free and no-obligation — see your fixed price in minutes.

Illustration of a home