Buying or selling in New South Wales means engaging sydney conveyancers to handle the legal paperwork, searches and settlement that move a property from one owner to the next. This guide explains, in plain terms, what a licensed conveyancer does, how fees and timeframes work in 2026, the difference between residential and strata transactions, and the searches that protect you before you sign. It is written for first home buyers, upgraders, investors and sellers across the Sydney metropolitan area.
What sydney conveyancers actually do
A conveyancer is a licensed property professional who carries out the legal work of transferring real property. In New South Wales, conveyancers are licensed under the Conveyancers Licensing Act 2003 and regulated by NSW Fair Trading. They review the contract of sale, order title and planning searches, calculate adjustments such as council and water rates, and attend settlement through the electronic lodgment network. Sydney Conveyancers provides residential conveyancing, commercial property conveyancing, strata conveyancing, and contract review and advice for buyers and sellers.
The practice holds Professional Indemnity Insurance, is a member of the Australian Institute of Conveyancers NSW, and is PEXA certified for electronic settlement. A conveyancer differs from a solicitor in that the work is confined to property transactions, which is why a dedicated property settlement specialist is often more cost effective for a straightforward purchase or sale.
How the conveyancing process works, step by step
- Contract review. The conveyancer examines the contract of sale, special conditions, the section 10.7 planning certificate and the strata report where relevant, before you sign.
- Exchange. Signed contracts are exchanged and the deposit is paid, usually 10 per cent or a negotiated amount, with any cooling-off period noted.
- Searches and enquiries. Title, council, water, land tax and other searches confirm there are no surprises such as easements or unapproved works.
- Stamp duty and adjustments. Transfer duty is calculated, exemptions are applied where eligible, and rates and levies are apportioned between buyer and seller.
- Settlement. Funds and the title transfer are exchanged electronically, commonly about 42 days from exchange, and you receive the keys.
Fees, stamp duty and the first home buyer exemption
Conveyancing in Sydney is usually charged as a fixed professional fee plus disbursements for the actual searches and government lodgment costs. Fixed fees commonly range from $800 to $2,500 depending on whether the property is a freestanding home, a strata unit or a commercial premises, and on how complex the contract is. Disbursements are separate and reflect real third party charges.
Transfer duty, still widely called stamp duty, is the larger cost for most buyers and is set by Revenue NSW on a sliding scale tied to the purchase price. Eligible first home buyers can receive a full exemption from transfer duty on a purchase up to $800,000, with a concessional rate applying on a band above that figure. Eligibility, thresholds and concessions are set by the State and change periodically, so confirm current criteria before you budget.
Residential versus strata conveyancing
| Factor | Residential (house) | Strata (unit or townhouse) |
|---|---|---|
| Title type | Torrens title to land and dwelling | Strata title to a lot plus shared common property |
| Key report | Building and pest inspection | Strata records inspection of the owners corporation |
| Ongoing costs | Council and water rates | Rates plus quarterly strata levies and any special levy |
| Common risk | Easements, drainage, unapproved structures | Defect history, low capital works fund, disputes |
Searches that protect you before you sign
The value a conveyancer adds is largely in the searches and the contract review that happen before exchange. A title search confirms the seller can legally sell and reveals any mortgage, caveat or easement registered against the property. The planning certificate shows zoning, overlays and whether the land is affected by matters such as flood or bushfire controls. For a strata purchase, an inspection of the owners corporation records exposes the financial health of the scheme, the balance of the capital works fund, and any history of building defects or levies that a contract alone will not disclose. Skipping these checks to save time is where buyers most often come unstuck, because the contract becomes binding at exchange and remedies afterwards are limited.
Who this applies to
This guide is most useful if you are:
- A first home buyer wanting to understand the transfer duty exemption available on purchases up to $800,000.
- A purchaser of a strata unit who needs the owners corporation records inspected before exchange.
- A seller preparing a contract of sale and the prescribed disclosure documents.
- An investor or commercial buyer comparing fixed conveyancing fees against transaction complexity.
It is general information only and is not legal advice. Every transaction is different, so defer specific questions to a licensed conveyancer or solicitor and confirm current duty thresholds with Revenue NSW before you commit.
Common questions
How much does conveyancing cost in Sydney? Professional fees commonly sit between $800 and $2,500 as a fixed fee, with government searches and lodgment charged separately as disbursements.
How long does settlement take? A standard residential settlement is about 42 days from exchange, though the contract can specify a shorter or longer period by agreement.
This guide covers what sydney conveyancers do, fixed fees and disbursements, transfer duty and the first home buyer exemption, residential versus strata transactions, the searches that protect a buyer, and the settlement timeline for NSW property in 2026. It does not provide personal legal advice.