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It’s Saturday morning in Brunswick. You’ve got a flat white in one hand, your phone in the other, and three open inspections saved for the day. Somewhere between Domain alerts and tram timetables, the question pops up: When do I actually need to call a conveyancer?
Most first home buyers call after they’ve ‘found the one’ and the agent is already pushing for a signature. In Melbourne’s market, that’s often the moment you’re least able to slow down and think.
If you take one thing from this, make it this: the best time to speak with a conveyancer is before you make your first serious move.
The early call that saves you later
A first chat doesn’t have to be a big formal step. It’s about setting up the relationship so you can move quickly when the right place turns up.
If you’re wondering when you should engage a conveyancer, a good rule is to do it once you’re genuinely shopping, not when you’re daydreaming. When you’ve got pre approval, you’re inspecting most weekends, and you’re close to making offers, that’s your moment.
Why so early?
Because the parts that trip up first home buyers tend to show up before you sign, not after. Contract terms, the Section 32 vendor statement, cooling off rules, owners corporation headaches, and grant eligibility all sit in that early window where decisions happen fast.
What a conveyancer can do before you’ve picked a property
Early support is less about ‘doing conveyancing’ and more about helping you avoid the usual first timer mistakes.
A good conveyancer can help you:
understand what is normal in Victorian contracts, and what is not
plan your timeline around finance, inspections, and settlement
get clear on likely outgoings, including adjustments at settlement
explain how cooling off works in private sales and why auctions are different
flag property types that often carry extra paperwork (apartments, townhouses, off the plan)
That way, when you do find a place worth chasing, you’re not starting from scratch.
The three points you should be on the phone
When you’ve got pre approval and inspections are becoming serious
Once you’ve got a lender’s pre approval and you’re inspecting with intent, get a quick consult booked. You’ll come away with a simple plan: what to request from agents, what to read first, and what to do if you want a contract checked quickly.
This is also where first home buyer assistance comes into play. In Victoria, many first home buyers pay no land transfer duty on homes up to $600,000, with a concession available from $600,001 to $750,000, if eligibility rules are met.
That’s real money, so it’s worth getting the basics straight early. If you want the full picture across grants, finance, and conveyancing steps, our comprehensive first home buyer guide lays it out in plain language.
When a property moves from ‘interesting’ to ‘I might buy this’
This is the make or break moment. Before you put anything in writing, before you sign an offer, and before you bid, get the paperwork reviewed.
That usually means the contract of sale and the Section 32 vendor statement. In Victoria, the seller must give the buyer the Section 32 before the property is sold, and it contains key title and disclosure details.
If you’re planning to move fast, this is the point where having a conveyancer already lined up makes all the difference. It’s also the simplest way to avoid signing something you later regret.
There’s a deeper read on why it matters to speak to a conveyancer before making an offer, especially when you’re up against other buyers and tight agent deadlines.
When you’re anywhere near an auction
Auctions feel exciting right up until you remember there’s no safety net. In Victoria, buyers generally do not get a cooling off period when they buy at auction, or if they buy within three clear business days before or after an auction.
That means your checks need to happen before you raise your hand. If you’re planning to bid in Richmond, Preston, or anywhere else where auctions are common, treat the contract review as part of your auction prep, like organising your finance and booking a building inspection.
What to do when the agent says ‘you need to sign today’
This is where first home buyers get squeezed.
You’re standing in a hallway in Footscray after an inspection, the agent is smiling, and you’re told there are ‘two other interested parties’. Suddenly you’re sent a contract and asked to sign tonight to ‘secure it’.
You’re allowed to slow it down.
A conveyancer can often give you a clear steer quickly: what is risky, what is standard, and what can be negotiated. That might include:
adding a finance condition where it is suitable for a private sale
setting a building and pest condition (or advising you to get the inspection done before signing)
checking the deposit amount and deposit release terms
confirming the settlement date works with your lender and your lease
making sure you have actually received the Section 32, not just the contract
Even if the answer is ‘this one is too tight’, that’s still a good outcome. Missing one property hurts for a week. Buying the wrong one can hurt for years.
The cooling off period is not a backup plan
Cooling off is useful in private sales, but it’s not a free ‘try before you buy’.
In Victoria, the cooling off period for a private residential sale is three clear business days for many buyers, and if you cool off you can lose the greater of $100 or 0.2 per cent of the purchase price.
For a first home buyer, that can still sting. It also doesn’t fix deeper issues like finance timing, a building defect, or owners corporation trouble. It’s far better to spend your effort on getting the contract and Section 32 checked, and doing the right inspections, before you sign.
Melbourne traps that show up in the paperwork
A lot of first home buyer stress comes from things you cannot see at an inspection.
Owners corporation surprises
If you’re buying an apartment or townhouse, owners corporation documents can reveal special levies, building defects, and long running disputes that never come up in the agent’s spiel.
Picture a Docklands apartment that looks spotless, but there’s a major rectification plan brewing and levies are about to jump. Or a townhouse block in Coburg where the sinking fund is thin and the shared driveway needs work.
These aren’t reasons to never buy strata property. They are reasons to read the records and ask the right questions before you commit.
Title restrictions and planning controls
Covenants, easements, and planning overlays can affect what you can do with the home.
A classic example is the buyer who falls in love with a weatherboard in Northcote, then realises there’s a planning control that makes changes slow, expensive, or both. Another is a property with an easement that limits extensions, even if the backyard looks huge.
Your conveyancer’s job is not to kill your dream. It’s to make sure you know what you’re buying.
Settlement timing that doesn’t match real life
Agents love a clean story: ‘Thirty day settlement, easy.’ Real life is messier.
Your bank might need valuation time. Your lease might not line up. You might be juggling work, removalists, and the last inspection. A conveyancer can help you negotiate a settlement date that actually works, and explain what happens if a date slips.
First home buyer schemes: get the right help early
First home buyer benefits can be valuable, but they come with rules about who qualifies and when you need to occupy the property.
For example, the Victorian First Home Owner Grant is a $10,000 payment for eligible buyers purchasing or building a new home to live in, with a value cap of $750,000.
Whether you qualify can depend on details like the type of property (new vs established), your residency plans, and timing. Sorting that out early means you can shop with confidence, rather than crossing your fingers after you’ve signed.
How to pick a conveyancer as a first home buyer
You don’t need ten quotes and a spreadsheet. You do need someone who is responsive, explains things clearly, and is used to helping first timers.
A quick way to compare providers is to ask practical questions about turnaround times, fees, what is included, and how they handle auctions and tight deadlines. Here’s a handy list of questions to ask your conveyancer when you’re choosing.
If you’re emailing or calling, pay attention to how you feel after the first contact. Do they make it clearer, or more confusing? Do you know what the next step is? That matters.
A simple ‘before you offer or bid’ checklist
Keep this list on your phone for inspection weekends:
You’ve requested the contract and Section 32 as soon as you got serious about the property.
Your conveyancer has reviewed the documents and explained any red flags in plain English.
You understand your cooling off rights, or you’ve accepted there is no cooling off (auction and auction window).
Building and pest inspections are booked early enough to be useful, or you’ve decided why you’re comfortable without them.
Your finance position is clear, including the amount you can bid and your deposit plan.
For apartments and townhouses, owners corporation documents have been checked for levies, defects, and upcoming works.
Your settlement date suits your finance and your real life, not just the agent’s preference.
If you tick those boxes, you’re already ahead of many buyers.
Ready to buy? Let’s make the first step easy
If you’re buying your first home in Melbourne, don’t wait until you’re under pressure to sign. A quick conversation early can save you from expensive surprises, and it makes the whole process calmer.
Pearson Chambers Conveyancing offers a free contract review, including a complimentary Section 32 contract review, so you can understand what you’re agreeing to before you commit.
Email contact@pearsonchambers.com.au to book a chat.
This article is general information only and isn’t legal advice.