Buyer’s advocates and estate agents

A buyer’s advocate is a licensed estate agent who, for a fee, acts for a buyer instead of a seller. A buyer’s advocate cannot act for both a buyer and seller on the same property transaction.

They can source properties, bid at auction and generally represent you throughout the buying process.

Talk to several buyer’s advocates before you decide who to use. Ask about their services and fees. Read the agency authority carefully before you sign it to appoint a buyer’s advocate.

Make sure the buyer’s advocate is licensed or authorised to deal in property by checking the Victorian Business Licensing Authority’s public register of estate agents.

Estate agents’ responsibilities to buyers

An agent’s responsibility is to the seller, but they are obliged to act responsibly and ethically when dealing with both buyers and sellers.

You can expect an estate agent to:

• take your details and provide advice about relevant properties for sale
• answer questions about listed properties 
• arrange inspections 
• provide a copy of the Section 32 statement (also known as a vendor’s statement) 
• communicate genuine offers to the seller 
• organise the signing of the contract.

Conveyancing

Transferring land ownership from the seller to the buyer is called conveyancing.

Usually, buyers and sellers each engage a legal practitioner or conveyancer to handle this process. There are differences in what legal practitioners and conveyancers are allowed to do on behalf of a client.

We recommend you: 

• choose a legal practitioner or conveyancer that you feel comfortable with and meets your needs
• check references and make enquiries about the standard of their services 
• obtain written quotes from several, and discuss all disbursements (administrative costs).

Do-it-yourself conveyancing

If you do your own conveyancing, you will not have a legal practitioner’s or conveyancer’s professional indemnity insurance if something goes wrong.

There is a lot at stake, so you must be confident of your ability. If you are not, use a conveyancer or legal practitioner.

Do-it-yourself conveyancing kits are available by searching online and in bookshops. Consumer Affairs Victoria does not endorse any specific private suppliers.

Legal practitioners

A legal practitioner must hold a current practising certificate and have professional indemnity insurance. They can:

• review and advise on the Section 32 statement and the contract of sale
• ensure that the transfer of title is done correctly 
• advise on terms and conditions that need to be included in a contract to meet your needs, and on how different types of title may affect ownership rights and responsibilities
• perform general legal work and provide legal advice to their client.

If you use a legal practitioner make sure they have a current practising certificate by checking the Legal Service Board of Victoria’s public register of legal practitioners.

Some legal practitioners specialise in conveyancing and property law.

Conveyancers

A conveyancer is a person other than a legal practitioner, who can:

• undertake property conveyancing work 
• do legal work or give legal advice with respect to the transfer of title.

A conveyancer must hold a licence and have professional indemnity insurance. 

You can engage a conveyancer to:

• find and review property titles
• check the Section 32 statement  
• advise on the terms and conditions in the contract of sale.

If you use a conveyancer, make sure they are licensed by checking the Victorian Business Licensing Authority’s public register of conveyancers.

Protection for clients of conveyancers and legal practitioners

If your legal practitioner or conveyancer misuses a deposit held in trust on your behalf, you can seek compensation from a statutory compensation fund. The relevant funds are:

• legal practioners – Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund, administered by the Legal Services Board
• conveyancers, estate agents and their employees – Victorian Property Fund, administered by Consumer Affairs Victoria. For more information, see our Compensation claims page.

Section 32 statement (also known as a vendor’s statement)

Before a property is sold, the seller is required to provide the buyer with a Section 32 statement. 

This document is called a Section 32 statement because the information the seller must provide is outlined in section 32 of the Sale of Land Act 1962. 

The Section 32 statement is:

• usually prepared by the seller’s legal practitioner or conveyancer
• signed by the seller 
• attached to the contract of sale 
• made available to prospective buyers along with the contract of sale, usually by the estate agent and before the sale or auction.

It is a legal document and must be factually accurate and complete. If it contains incorrect or insufficient information, a buyer may be able to withdraw from the sale or take legal action. 

You should have the statement checked by your own legal practitioner or conveyancer before you buy.

The Section 32 statement contains information about the property’s title, including:

• mortgages
• covenants 
• easements 
• zoning 
• outgoings (for example, rates)
• declaration if located in a bushfire-prone area.

It does not include any information about:

• the condition of buildings
• whether they comply with building regulations 
• the accuracy of measurements on the title.

It is your responsibility to get any information that does not legally have to be included in the Section 32 statement.

Contract of sale

A prospective buyer makes an offer to buy a property by signing a contract of sale. The offer is accepted when the seller signs the contract. A property is sold when both buyer and seller have signed the contract of sale. 

The contract of sale contains: 

• details of the property
• names of the seller and buyer 
• details of the seller’s estate agent, if they have one
• details of the seller’s and buyer’s legal practitioner or conveyancer, if they have one 
• the price 
• the deposit 
• the balance owing at settlement 
• any special conditions such as ‘subject to finance’.

The contract must clearly specify whether the sale price includes or excludes the goods and services tax (GST) and, if it is included, how the amount will be calculated.

Generally, the GST only applies to the purchase of new homes. It does not apply to established homes unless the seller is registered for GST.

You can check a seller’s GST status on the Australian Business Register.

买方的倡导者和地产代理

买家的倡导者是持牌地产代理谁，收费，充当买主，而不是卖方。买家的倡导者不得代理既是对同一财产交易买方和卖方。

他们可以在拍卖会上源属性，出价和一般代表您在整个购买过程。

谈几个买家的主张，然后再决定用谁。询问他们的服务和收费。阅读代理权小心你签署委任买家的倡导者之前。

确保买方的倡导者是许可或授权通过检查地产代理的维多利亚女王时代的商业事务管理的公共登记处理财产。

地产代理的责任给买家

代理的责任是卖方，但他们不得不用时，买卖双方交易采取负责任的行动和道德。

你可以期望地产代理：

• 把你的详细资料，并提供有关咨询有关楼盘e
• 回答有关上市的问题性质
• 安排检查
• 提供32节的语句（也称为供应商的声明）的副本
• 真正的沟通提供给卖家

<li组织签订合同。

楼宇买卖

从卖方向买方转移土地所有权被称为楼宇买卖。

通常情况下，买卖双方各自开展法律执业者或产权转让来处理这个过程。有什么法律工作者和物业转易允许做代表客户的差异。

我们建议您：

• 选择你感到舒服和满足您需要的法律执业者或产权转让
• 检查引用，并就他们的服务标准查询
• 获得书面报价从几个，并讨论所有支出（行政费用）。

做自己动手楼宇买卖

如果你做你自己的财产转让，你会不会有法律从业者或产权转让的专业责任保险，如果出现错误。

有相当多的利益，所以你必须有信心你的能力。如果你不是，用产权转让或法律执业者。

做自己动手包转易可通过网上搜索和书店。维多利亚消费者事务不认可任何特定的私人供应商。

法律工作者

执业律师必须持有执业证书并具有专业弥偿保险。他们可以：

• 审查并提出建议在第32条声明和销售合同
• 确保所有权的转移是正确完成
• 建议在条款和需要被包含在合同条款，以满足您的需求，并就如何称号不同类型可能会影响到所有权的权利和责任
• 执行一般法律工作，并给他们的客户提供法律咨询。

如果您使用的是法律执业者确保他们有通过检查法律工作者维多利亚的公众纪录册的法律服务委员会现行执业证书。

一些法律界人士专门从事物业转易及财产法。

物业转易

一个产权转让是一个人不是一个法律执业者等，谁能够：

• 承接物业转易工作
• 做法律工作或相对于所有权的转让提供法律意见。

一个产权转让必须持有许可证，并拥有专业弥偿保险。

可以搞一个产权转让到：

• 找到并查看产权证
• 检查组32语句  
• 建议在销售合同中的条款和条件。

如果您使用的是产权转让，确保它们通过检查物业转易的维多利亚女王时代的商业事务管理的公共登记许可。
<h3保护物业转易及法律工作者的客户

如果你的法律执业者或产权转让误用在代表你的信任举行了定金，就可以寻求法定赔偿基金。相关基金主要有：

• 法律实践者 – 法律执业者富达基金，由法律服务局管理物业转易，地产代理及他们的员工 – 维多利亚式房地产基金，由消费者事务管理的维多利亚州。欲了解更多信息，请参阅我们的赔偿请求页面。

第32条语句（也称为厂商的声明）

前一个物业出售，卖方须提供买方与第32语句。

这份文件被称为第32语句，因为信息的卖方必须提供1962年土地买卖法第32条列出。

在第32节的说法是：

• 通常通过卖方的法律执业者或产权转让
• 卖方签署
• 附着在销售合同

<li提供给潜在的买家一起销售合同，通常由地产代理和销售或拍卖前。

这是一个法律文件，必须如实准确，完整。如果它包含不正确或不充分的信息，买方或许能够从出售收回或采取法律行动。

你应该在购买前通过自己的法律执业者或产权转让检查的声明。

该科32语句包含关于该酒店的标题信息，包括：

• 抵押贷款
• 契约
• 地役权
• 分区
• 支出（例如，费率）
• 如果位于林火多发地区的声明。

它不包含任何信息：

• 建筑物的条件
• 它们是否符合建筑规范
• 对标题测量的准确度。

这是你的责任得到任何信息，不具有法律必须被包含在第32语句。

销售合同

准买家作出要约通过签订销售合同购买物业。当卖方签订合同的报价被接受。当买卖双方签订销售合同的属性出售。

销售合同包含：

• 属性的细节
• 卖方和买方的姓名
• 卖方的地产代理的详细信息，如果他们有一个
• 卖方和买方的详细信息的法律执业者或产权转让，如果他们有一个
• 价格
• 存款
• 由于在结算余额
• 任何特殊条件，如“受融资”。

合同必须明确规定销售价格是否包括或不包括商品及服务税（GST），如果它被包含，如何量将被计算。

一般来说，消费税只适用于购买新房。它不适用于建立家园，除非卖方登记税。

您可以检查在澳大利亚商业注册一个卖家的商品及服务税的地位。