Getting your contract reviewed before you sign

The contract of sale is binding the moment you sign it. That single fact is why contract review matters more than almost anything else in a purchase: the strongest protections — a proper read of the terms, amendments in your favour, and any cooling-off rights — all apply before you commit, not after. This guide frames what a review is for, what a competent reviewer is looking at, and why getting one lined up early is the cheapest insurance you will buy in the whole process. And with Zettle it's an easy call — our contract reviews are free and turned around within 4 business hours by our practitioners.

Key takeaways

• Signing is the point of no return: once you sign, the contract's terms govern everything that follows.
• Review before you commit, not after: the protections that matter only exist while you can still walk away or negotiate.
• A handful of fields do the heavy lifting: price and deposit, settlement date, conditions, inclusions, and any unusual clauses.
• The standard form differs by state: QLD, NSW and VIC each use a different contract — only the numbers and deadlines change, not the things worth checking.
• There's no reason to sign a contract unread: a review should be fast and low-friction — ours are free and back within 4 business hours, so speed and cost are never the excuse.

1. Why review has to come first

Most buyers wait until they have signed — by which point the cooling-off clock, if it exists at all, is already running. Engage someone ahead of time and the contract gets reviewed while you can still act on what it finds, the fee is agreed with no mid-transaction pressure, and you have pre-contract advice in hand even if you end up at an auction, where the contract is usually unconditional. It costs nothing to line a conveyancer up; not having one when a contract lands unexpectedly can cost you your deposit.

2. How fast can you get a review — and why speed matters

In a competitive market the contract tends to land when you least expect it: an agent hands it over at an open home, or you need to make an offer before the weekend is out. A review is only as useful as how quickly you can get it — a thorough read that arrives after you've had to sign, or after the property has sold, protects nothing. A fast turnaround lets you:

• Act on a property without gambling. Make or firm up an offer knowing the contract has been checked, rather than signing blind just to keep the deal alive.
• Use your cooling-off window. Where cooling-off applies it is only a few business days — a review back within four business hours leaves you time to actually act on what it finds.
• Move at auction pace. Auctions are usually unconditional, so the review has to happen before you raise your hand; speed is the only way that works.
• Take the pressure down. Waiting days for a verdict while the vendor fields other offers is its own kind of stress.

What a Zettle contract review gives you

• Back within 4 business hours. Send us the contract and you'll have the review within four business hours — fast enough to act inside a cooling-off window or before an auction, not days later.
• Free, with no obligation. The review costs nothing and commits you to nothing, so there's no cost or pressure hanging over the decision.
• Reviewed by our practitioners. Every review is carried out by one of our experienced practitioners — a fast turnaround never comes at the expense of a careful read.

3. What a review actually checks

You don't need a law degree — most of the contract is boilerplate. But a small number of fields decide whether you keep your deposit, get finance through, and receive the property as promised. A good review works through five things:

• Price and deposit: the amount, when it is due, and — critically — who holds it (a licensed agent's or solicitor's trust account, never the seller directly).
• Settlement date: whether it is realistic for your finance and your circumstances.
• Conditions: finance, building and pest, and any cooling-off — the defined ways out before the contract goes unconditional.
• Inclusions and exclusions: what actually stays with the property.
• Unusual clauses and missing disclosures: the special conditions and gaps that create risk.

For the field-by-field walk-through, see 5 things to check on any property contract.

Contracts and disclosure by state at a glance

4. The same checks, different rulebook by state

The five checks apply everywhere; what changes is the standard contract form and the deposit rules attached to it. Knowing which document you are looking at tells your reviewer where the important fields live.

These are the standard positions — your own contract can vary, which is exactly why it needs reading. Cooling-off periods and their exact day counts differ by state and by how you buy; the five-checks explainer covers the current detail.

5. Red flags to watch for

• The deposit holder isn't a trust account: if the money would go to the seller directly, stop and ask why.
• A settlement date you can't realistically meet: especially if finance isn't confirmed.
• Special conditions you don't understand: agent-drafted clauses can shift risk onto you.
• Missing or incomplete disclosure documents: a blank field or absent statement is a question, not a formality.
• Pressure to sign on the spot: "everyone else is bidding" is not a reason to skip the review.

6. Questions to ask before you sign

• Which conditions protect me here, and what are their deadlines?
• Is the deposit amount and holder correct, and is the trust account named?
• Do I have any cooling-off rights on this sale?
• Are there special conditions I should be worried about?
• Is the settlement date achievable given my finance?