Conveyancing Newcastle
NSW-wide, with a local Newcastle office.
40+ Years in Business.
Easy, Secure and Fast Electronic Settlements.
Speak with Conveyancer Michele Rumph
Michele is our licensed conveyancer with over 20 years in the legal industry. Prompt and meticulous, she goes above and beyond for everyone from first home buyers to seasoned commercial transactors.
Residential and Commercial Conveyancing Newcastle
Buying or selling property is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make, but the legal side doesn’t need to be stressful. Whitelaw McDonald’s Newcastle conveyancing team gives you fixed-fee pricing, clear advice, and a local team who know the Newcastle, Hunter Valley and Lake Macquarie area inside and out.
Whether you’re a first-home buyer, upgrading or selling an existing property, investing, renting or transferring a title, we manage the legal detail so you can focus on the exciting parts.
Our Conveyancing Services
We help with all matters of conveyancing, with our most common services listed below.
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Buying Property
We review your Contract of Sale before you sign, explain any risks and negotiate changes where needed. We order your searches (including the section 10.7 planning certificate), liaise with your lender, calculate your transfer duty and any First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme exemption or concession, and manage everything through to settlement and registration of your new title.
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Selling Property
We prepare your Contract for Sale with all the documents NSW law requires, respond to buyer enquiries and requisitions, and negotiate special conditions to protect your position. We also manage rates adjustments, coordinate the discharge of your mortgage and confirm funds and key handover on settlement day.
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Transferring or Changing a Title
Adding or removing a name, transferring property between family members, or updating ownership after a death? We prepare and lodge the correct forms, calculate any duty payable and register the change with NSW Land Registry Services.
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Strata, Torrens Title and Community Title Developments
We assist with strata, Torrens title and community title purchases, as well as off-the-plan contracts and auction conveyancing. Each comes with its own risks and timing rules, and our team will walk you through them.
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Buying or Selling a Business
We act for buyers and sellers, guiding you through the contract, due diligence and transfer of assets, goodwill, staff and leases. We explain the risks, negotiate for you and work with your accountant and advisers so the sale runs smoothly and on time.
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Leasing for Landlords and Tenants
Whether you own commercial or residential property, or need premises to run your business from, a good lease protects you for years. We act for both landlords and tenants, preparing, reviewing and negotiating leases so you know exactly what you’re agreeing to.
Get a Fixed-Fee Quote
Get a quote or advice tailored to your situation.
Complex Conveyancing Matters
As a law firm, not solely a conveyancer, our team is also well-suited to helping you handle more complex property matters. Our Newcastle conveyancing and legal team is fully experienced and knowledgeable in less straightforward conveyancing matters such as, but not limited to, the below:
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Purchasing with several buyers
Buying with family members, friends or other co-purchasers
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Interstate or overseas parties
Coordinating exchange and settlement when someone can’t sign in person
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Foreign purchasers (FIRB)
Checking whether a foreign purchaser can acquire the property and whether approval is required. Current federal restrictions apply to foreign purchases of established dwellings, subject to limited exceptions.
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Deceased estate sales
Managing the sale of a property that forms part of a deceased estate
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Simultaneous sale and purchase
Timing your sale and purchase so your existing home and your new one settle on the same day
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Duplex developments
Where a single title must be subdivided before settlement
Why a Local Conveyancer Makes a Difference
Property transactions move quickly, and the details that matter such as finance approval, coordinating with the other side, and contract deadlines are all time-sensitive. Property markets don’t all move at the same pace: Newcastle isn’t Sydney, and NSW isn’t Victoria, each with its own rhythm, requirements and paperwork. A conveyancer who works in this market day in and day out knows what’s typical here and what’s not, so nothing catches you off guard.
Other Property Matters We Handle
Not every property matter fits neatly into “buying” or “selling.” Our team also assists with:
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Rural and vacant land
Access rights, water licences, environmental overlays and council planning controls need closer attention than a standard suburban purchase
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Retirement village contracts
Often structured as long-term leases or licences rather than a standard title transfer, with their own exit fees and ongoing service costs to understand before you sign
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SMSF property purchases
Additional compliance requirements under superannuation law on top of the usual conveyancing process
If your matter isn’t standard, it’s worth discussing with a conveyancer before you sign.
“Wonderful experience with the recent sale of our property. Everything went so smooth. Kept us up on everything along the way. Staff are very experienced and prompt on call backs. Would defiantly recommend them for all your legal needs.”
— M. Larken
“We are very grateful for the outstanding support provided by our conveyancer, Caitlin Pinchen, and her team during our recent property purchase. They managed every step with efficiency and kept us well-informed throughout the entire process. Their patience with our frequent calls, emails, and questions, along with their clear guidance and friendly approach, made the experience significantly easier and less stressful. We truly appreciate their dedication and professionalism, and we would gladly recommend their services to anyone purchasing or selling property.”
— H. Aung
“My experience with Whitelaw McDonald Lawyers, goes back many years I have found them to be a most pleasant, and efficient company to deal with, recently with probate and sale of family home after 69 years, I feel it is only fair and just to give them this accolade, for a job and service well done.”
— M. Davis
The Conveyancing Process for Purchasing:
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Contract review
Before you sign anything, we review the Contract of Sale, flag any special conditions or risks, and explain them to you.
2
Due diligence and finance
We order title and property searches, and you finalise your loan arrangements. This is also when a building and pest inspection is worth organising, if you haven’t already.
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Review of strata report
When purchasing a strata property, it’s important that a Strata Inspection Report is obtained. We’ll review the report and advise you before exchange so you understand the current position of the strata. This is a very important step.
4
Exchange of contracts
Contracts are signed and dated, and a deposit (often 10% of the purchase price) is paid. From this point, either your cooling-off period begins or, if you’ve waived your cooling-off rights, the contract becomes unconditional.
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The cooling-off period
In most private residential sales in NSW, you have five business days from exchange to withdraw from the contract, subject to a 0.25% penalty on the purchase price. This doesn’t apply if you buy at auction, or if you’ve signed a Section 66W certificate waiving your cooling-off rights (which may be requested in competitive negotiations). This is worth understanding before you make an offer.
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Pre-settlement
We handle adjustments for rates and levies, liaise with your lender, and confirm your final inspection arrangements.
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Settlement and after
On settlement day, funds are exchanged electronically via PEXA and you receive the keys. Afterwards, we make sure your ownership is registered and any required notifications are sent to the relevant authorities.
Why Choose Whitelaw McDonald
Fixed-fee pricing.
You’ll know your costs upfront, with a clear breakdown of any disbursements, before you commit.
NSW-wide experience – from major cities to regional.
Our conveyancing team works with NSW real estate agents, banks and strata managers every week, so we know how this market moves and what tends to catch buyers and sellers out.
Clear advice in simple terms.
We explain contracts, searches and settlement figures without the jargon, so you always know what’s happening and why.
A local Aussie team.
You’ll deal directly with our conveyancing team either in office or via video or phone call – keeping a familiar, local contact through to settlement.
Electronic settlement.
We use PEXA for fast, secure electronic settlement, so there’s no last-minute scramble for paper documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a conveyancer actually do?
A conveyancer manages the legal and administrative side of a property transaction – reviewing and preparing contracts, ordering searches, liaising with the other side’s representatives, calculating duty, and making sure everything is in order before settlement. Their role is to protect your interests and make sure the transfer of ownership goes through correctly and on time.
Do I need a conveyancer or a solicitor?
Both a licensed conveyancer and a solicitor can manage a standard residential property transaction. A solicitor can also advise more broadly if a complication arises – a contract dispute, an unusual title condition, or a zoning issue, for example. Our team includes both, so you have that extra support available if you need it.
How long does conveyancing take?
Many residential transactions settle within four to six weeks of exchange, though this can vary depending on your finance approval, the contract terms, and whether any issues come up during searches.
How much does conveyancing cost?
We offer fixed-fee conveyancing, so you’ll know your costs upfront. On top of our fee, you’ll also need to budget for disbursements – the costs of searches and certificates ordered on your behalf.
What is the cooling-off period and how long do I have?
In most private residential sales in NSW, you have five business days from the exchange of contracts to withdraw, subject to a 0.25% penalty on the purchase price. The Vendor may agree to extend this period also. Off-the-plan contracts have a longer, ten-business-day cooling-off period. There’s no cooling-off period if you buy at auction.
Can I waive the cooling-off period with a Section 66W certificate?
Yes. A Section 66W certificate, signed by your solicitor or conveyancer, allows you to waive your cooling-off rights – something buyers sometimes do to strengthen an offer in a competitive market. We’ll explain what this means for you before you sign one.
Am I eligible for the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme?
If you’re a first home buyer, you may be entitled to a full transfer duty exemption on a new or existing home valued at $800,000 or less, with a concessional rate available for homes valued above $800,000 and below $1 million. For vacant land intended to be used to build your first home, the full exemption applies up to $350,000, with a concessional rate available above $350,000 and below $450,000. Eligibility requirements apply.
Do I need a building and pest inspection before I buy?
It’s not a legal requirement, but we strongly recommend it. A building and pest inspection can uncover structural issues or pest damage that aren’t obvious during a walkthrough, and it’s far easier to negotiate on price or walk away before you exchange contracts than after.
Is there a cooling-off period if I buy at auction?
No. If you’re the successful bidder at auction, the contract is binding immediately and there’s no cooling-off period. It’s worth having your contract reviewed and your finance sorted before auction day.
What happens on settlement day?
Settlement is when the balance of the purchase price is paid and ownership officially transfers to you. Settlement is generally completed electronically through PEXA, and you’ll receive the keys to your new property.
Can you help with strata or community title properties?
Yes. Strata and community title purchases involve extra checks – levies, by-laws, special levies, building defects and upcoming works – that don’t come up in a standard freehold purchase. We review these for you, so you understand the real cost and rules of ownership before you commit.
Do you handle commercial property conveyancing too?
Yes – commercial conveyancing involves its own considerations around leasing, zoning and due diligence. Visit our commercial conveyancing page for more detail or get in touch and we’ll point you in the right direction.
What is gazumping, and can it happen to me in NSW?
Gazumping happens when a seller accepts a higher offer from someone else after verbally agreeing to sell to you, but before contracts are exchanged. In NSW, a verbal agreement doesn’t bind the seller – only a signed, exchanged contract does, even if you’ve already paid a holding or good faith deposit, although the precise legal position can depend on what was paid and the circumstances. The best protection is to finalise your finance early, have your contract reviewed as soon as possible, and move to exchange quickly once you’re ready to proceed.
What’s the difference between joint tenants and tenants in common?
If you’re buying with someone else, you can hold the property as joint tenants, where each owner has an equal share and a deceased owner’s interest automatically passes to the surviving owner, or as tenants in common, where each person can own a specific proportion and pass their share on through their Will. Which structure suits you depends on your circumstances, and it’s worth discussing with our team before settlement, since it can be costly to change later.
