Buying, selling or renting a home in a new country is best understood calmly and with good information. Here we explain how the Australian system works — without selling you an outcome.
In Australia, property rules are largely state-based: each state and territory has its own processes and institutions. This page uses New South Wales (NSW), where the firm is located, as its reference, and brings together general information on the most common topics: the conveyancing process, the exchange of contracts, strata living and renting. It is not individual legal advice: every situation is different, and it is assessed by the firm's admitted lawyers.
Buying a home: the conveyancing process
In Australia, the legal management of a property sale and purchase is called conveyancing. In NSW, a residential property cannot go on the market without a contract of sale prepared by a lawyer or a licensed conveyancer, and that contract can be reviewed before signing. The purchase moves through stages: contract review, searches and inspections, exchange of contracts and, at the end, settlement — when the balance is paid and the buyer becomes the legal owner. The official guide to the process is at nsw.gov.au.
Exchange of contracts and the cooling-off period
Until the exchange of contracts, the agreement is generally not binding and either party can change their mind. The exchange formalises the purchase: each party signs their copy of the contract, and a deposit is usually handed over. For many residential purchases in NSW there is also a cooling-off period after the exchange, during which the buyer can withdraw subject to the conditions set by law. This period has rules, exceptions and variations — auctions, for example, work differently, and the period can be waived or adjusted in writing. The current conditions are on the official page on contracts and deposits.
Strata: apartments, townhouses and common areas
A large share of housing in Sydney is strata: apartments, townhouses and duplexes where you own your unit and, at the same time, share the common property — gardens, lifts, parking, pools. When you buy into strata you become part of the owners corporation (the body of owners that makes the building's decisions), there are periodic levies to maintain the common property, and day-to-day living is governed by by-laws: internal rules on pets, noise, parking and renovations. It's a concept that doesn't exist in quite the same way in many other countries, and it's worth understanding before you buy or rent. The official guide is at nsw.gov.au/strata.
Buying from overseas: the federal framework
Australia has a federal framework regulating foreign investment in real estate — the system associated with the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB); in the case of residential housing, it is administered by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The framework defines concepts such as "foreign person" and which types of transaction it covers, and its rules change over time. This page does not assess whether that framework applies to your situation — that depends on the rules in force and on each person's circumstances. The official source is foreigninvestment.gov.au.
Renting a home
If you're renting — as most people are when they first arrive — the NSW system also has its own pieces: a tenancy agreement, a condition report on moving in and moving out, and a bond that does not stay in the landlord's hands but is lodged in an official system. Tenants and landlords have rights and responsibilities defined by law, and there are official avenues for resolving disagreements — over repairs, increases or the return of the bond. The rules are updated frequently; the official source is NSW Fair Trading, at nsw.gov.au.
When property and migration intersect
Housing matters sometimes have a migration dimension — buying from overseas while a visa process is under way, or signing a first rental contract soon after arriving, often raises questions on both fronts. The firm handles both areas, so these matters can be looked at together. General information about migration.
How it works with the firm
The firm, with an office in Chatswood (Sydney), handles property conveyancing and property law matters. Our case manager guides you through the general information and the contact process; legal advice about your situation is provided by the firm's admitted lawyers.
Do you have a general question, or would you like to put your situation in the firm's hands? Write to us.
General information · not individual legal advice. Rules change; always check the official sources.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-02 · Sources: nsw.gov.au · foreigninvestment.gov.au