Southern Hills Settlements - Conveyancing and Property Settlement

19/01/2022

Southern Hills Settlements merged with jk legal in 2017.
The only thing that has changed is our name. We are still in the same great location in Armadale and continue to offer friendly, efficient service with a smile.
We are committed to providing all your of conveyancing needs.
So if you are buying or selling a home or have any other property related matter that requires the services of a settlement agent, please contact Siobhan on 6196 0401, through this page or send an email to [email protected]

01/07/2017

It is with a sense of new beginnings that we announce that Southern Hills Settlements will merge with jk legal as of 1 July 2017. Siobhan will continue to provide the same great service to her conveyancing clients in her new position as Conveyancing Clerk at jk legal. The phone number and address will remain the same. If you, or anyone you know, is in the process of buying a new home, or selling their old one, have them call Siobhan for a quote!

04/05/2017

An Interesting article from the Department of Commerce - WA ScamNet.
Both Buyers and Sellers of Real Estate should remain vigilant.

Property sale scams

In the past we’ve seen scammers target people trying to sell cars or computer consoles online but now the problem’s hit the real estate market.

A bogus buyer, who says they’re based overseas, approaches the seller claiming that they want to buy the house, unit or land being offered for sale.

They may try to convince the seller they have paid a deposit, perhaps by using a stolen or fake credit card or by sending an email linking to a bogus PayPal transaction.

The scammer could appear to ‘overpay’ the deposit and ask you to transfer back the overpaid amount.

Only when the overpayment has been returned will the seller realise that the deposit transaction has been reversed because it was made with a stolen or fake credit card or never existed in the first place because the PayPal email was bogus.

Alternatively the scammer may request that the seller pays a fee on their behalf, supposedly to facilitate the sale in some way.

They may claim that the fee is to cover taxes related to an overseas transaction or to pay for the release the funds from a holding account.

Whatever reason, the scammer will probably ask for the money to be sent by wire transfer, knowing that this method is virtually untraceable.

The con artist may however suggest payment via a secure payment system, but provide electronic links which take the seller to a fake version of a legitimate payment system site.

Home or land sellers need to be aware that in a real estate transaction, there should be no reason for the seller to outlay money on behalf of the buyer.

It’s the same for anything you’re selling really. If you’re asked to stump up money for shipping fees or taxes by an overseas buyer you should smell a rat.

The whole point of selling something is to make extra cash not lose money, so be on your guard to online sale scams.

16/03/2017

Are you planning on buying property in a Bushfire risk area?
The following information from the Department of Commerce may be of interest to you.

In December 2015 the State government released a bushfire reform package in response to planning and building recommendations from the Keelty Report into the Perth Hills bushfire of 2011.
The reforms included the designation of bushfire prone areas throughout Western Australia. If a property is designated bushfire prone, this may trigger the need for a more detailed assessment of the bushfire risk, such as a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessment, before building or developing that property. Most importantly, the outcome of a BAL assessment may add to the cost or, in cases of extreme risk, restrict the proposed development of a property.
A bushfire prone area is an area that is subject to, or likely to be subject to, a bushfire attack.
Where can I go for more information on the bushfire reforms?
Further information about the bushfire planning requirements can be found on the Department of Planning website www.planning.wa.gov.au/bushfire.
Further information on the bushfire building requirements can be found on the Department of Commerce – Building Commission website at www.commerce.wa.gov.au/bushfire.

These website pages contain all the information you need to know if you are planning to develop in a Bushfire-Prone Area within Western Australia

09/02/2017

First Home Owner Boost

On 27 December 2016, the Government announced a temporary boost to the $10,000 payable under the first home owner grant scheme.

Eligible first home buyers who enter into a contract between 1 January and 31 December 2017 to purchase or construct a new home will receive an additional $5,000.

The boost will also be available for owner builders who commence laying foundations of their home between those dates.

Where the boost applies to a grant received on a contract to build a home, construction must commence within 26 weeks after entering into a building contract and be completed within 18 months after construction commences. For owner builders and purchases of a new home ‘off-the-plan’, construction must be completed by 30 June 2019.

Further information on the changes, including the eligibility requirements and how to apply, are available on the Department of Finance WA website.

31/01/2017

12/10/2016

At long last, we have signage!

12/10/2016

At long last, we have signage!