Contract Review

A property contract is binding once contracts are exchanged, so the time to understand it is before, not after. A contract review is a focused service where a conveyancer or solicitor reads your contract for sale, explains the conditions, dates and risks in plain English, and flags anything that needs to change before you commit. A licensed conveyancer or solicitor can review the contract before you commit.

Most Sydney residential sales use a standard contract for the sale of land with the prescribed documents attached. The professional you can speak directly with checks the special conditions that have been added, confirms the finance and building-and-pest dates, and makes sure the settlement date is realistic. They explain your cooling-off rights: most residential contracts bought by private treaty carry a 5 business day cooling-off period that runs from exchange of contracts, it does not apply at auction, and the vendor may keep 0.25% of the purchase price if you rescind during cooling-off. They also explain what a section 66W certificate means if the vendor asks you to waive cooling-off.

The review also covers what the contract says about the property itself. The professional looks at the prescribed disclosure documents, including the section 10.7 planning certificate that sets out the planning rules affecting the property, and checks them against the contract. For a unit or apartment, they review the strata records, levies and by-laws so you understand the ongoing costs and obligations that come with strata title.

A contract review suits buyers who have found a property and want certainty before signing, sellers who want their contract checked before it goes out, and anyone who has been handed a contract with special conditions they do not fully understand. It is also a sensible first step before an auction, where there is no cooling-off and the contract needs to be right before you bid.

On cost, many independent conveyancers offer a fixed professional fee for a standalone contract review, which is often credited toward the full conveyancing fee if you proceed with the same firm. Government charges and any searches are additional and confirmed separately in writing. We are a conveyancing network and never set or charge the fee.

If you have a Sydney contract you want checked before you sign, share a few details and a licensed conveyancer or solicitor will contact you, usually within one business day.