What does a conveyancer do, and when should you get one?

Last checked 11 November 2026. General information only, not legal or financial advice.

A conveyancer manages the legal transfer of a property from seller to buyer. They make sure you know what you are buying, that the paperwork is right, that money and title change hands at the same moment, and that the new ownership is registered.

For buyers

1. Check the contract and disclosure statement before you sign or while you can still cool off, and explain anything that affects you: easements, encumbrances, strata levies, special conditions.
2. Order searches on the title, council, water and planning, and an owners corporation certificate for units.
3. Work with your lender so the loan is ready for settlement.
4. Calculate adjustments so you pay your share of council rates, water and levies from settlement day.
5. Arrange stamp duty and any first home buyer relief or concession.
6. Run settlement, usually electronically through PEXA, and lodge the transfer with the land titles office.

For sellers

• Prepare the contract and the vendor’s disclosure statement (a Form 1 in South Australia, a Section 32 in Victoria). In those states it has to be ready before buyers sign.
• Arrange for your mortgage to be discharged at settlement.
• Answer the buyer’s requisitions and handle settlement.

What a conveyancer doesn’t do

• Building or pest inspections (book a licensed inspector)
• Valuations or advice on whether the price is right
• Finance or tax advice
• Legal advice outside the transaction, such as disputes or family law. That is a job for a solicitor: see conveyancer or solicitor.

When to engage one

Before you sign. Cooling-off periods are short: two clear business days in South Australia, three in Victoria, five in NSW and Queensland, and none at auction anywhere. Once it ends, getting out of a contract is expensive. Sellers in SA and Victoria need a conveyancer before the property is advertised, to prepare the disclosure statement. See cooling-off periods in every state.

Can you do it yourself?

In theory, in some states. In practice almost every settlement is now electronic and run through a professional’s PEXA account, and lenders expect a representative to deal with. Given what is at stake, very few people go it alone.

Choosing one

Compare a few written quotes with the fee and disbursements listed separately, check the licence, and ask who will look after your file. Our guide on comparing conveyancing quotes lists the questions to ask, and conveyancing fees by state shows what to expect to pay.