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Joint tenants or tenants in common If you have more than two purchasers buying a property, you must decide whether you want to hold the property as ‘Joint Tenants’ or…

HomeBuilder Scheme Extended to 31 March 2021 The extended scheme is much the same for Queenslanders – except it has been reduced from $25,000 to $15,000 for contracts signed between…

What do the GST withholding provisions on REIQ contracts mean? We often get asked about the GST Withholding questions in the standard REIQ reference schedule. If you are a buyer:…

Buying or Selling a home with a Pool in Queensland There are some additional responsibilities you should be aware of when you are buying or selling a home with a…

What happens if you cannot settle on the agreed settlement date Buyer not ready to settle on time You have found your perfect home or investment property, you have completed…

HomeBuilder Scheme Unveiled Details of the much-anticipated HomeBuilder Scheme was been revealed last night. To be eligible for the $25,000.00 HomeBuilder Grant, you must: 1. Be an Australian citizen aged…

The Impacts of COVID-19 on Residential Tenancy Agreements – Don’t Get Caught Out If you own a property that is subject to a residential tenancy agreement, the Queensland Government has…

When the Taxman wants a bigger slice of the pie – Aggregation of transfer duty Have you ever thought about buying two or more properties in one complex or from…

The impact of COVID-19 if you are buying or selling The impact of COVID-19 on the property market remains to be seen. What is however becoming clear is that COVID-19…

MAP Lawyers – Response to the Coronavirus Returning to work this Monday (16 March 2020), most of our office is a little bit shellshocked from the weekend – and unlike…

What exactly is conveyancing? Conveyancing is the term used to transfer the ownership of a property from one person to another. Sounds simple right? Well there is actually quite a…

Lost when it comes to what contract conditions you should include in an offer on a property? In the first instance, we always recommend that you speak to your solicitor…

Rentvesting – It is ‘Horses for Courses’ As the saying goes, ‘Horses for Courses’ or different people are suited to different things, applies to the latest buzzword in the real…

Are you buying or selling and worried about council approvals? When purchasing a property, it is important to ensure that any required council approvals have been obtained. If you sign…

Dishwashers | Are they are fixture or a chattel? You have just secured your first or your next home and love your new kitchen (and even maybe the thought of…

Found your dream block of land? If you are considering buying vacant land, we highly recommend you undertake the following four simple actions: Undertake a free dial before you dig…

Worried you may receive a ‘PIGSTY’ on settlement? What are your rights? Under a standard REIQ Contract for the sale of residential property, which is commonly used for real estate…

Ready to make the hop? What are the requirements for claiming the first home transfer duty concession? Essentially there are two key criteria that need to be met: You meet…

When do I have to pay transfer duty (commonly known as stamp duty)? Transfer duty is generally due 30 days after the liability arises, being the contract date.  This is…

What is an easement? It sounds complicated, but ultimately the legal definition of an easement is ‘the right to cross or otherwise use a portion of someone else’s land.’ Common…

What happens on settlement day and do I need to attend? ‘Settlement Day’ is the finale of the conveyancing process – in short, it is the day that payment must…

Does Settlement day mean moving day? We often get asked by our purchasing clients if they can settle in the morning on the Settlement Date so they can start moving…

Buying a unit or townhouse – what are you responsible to maintain   When buying a townhouse or a unit in an apartment complex, it will either be on a:…

First Home Buyer in Brisbane City Council? Would you like to save some $$$? Brisbane City Council has announced in the 2019-20 Budget that they will provide a 50% rate…

‘Rights and interests reserved to the Crown by Deed…’? What? You may have noticed that on all title searches in Queensland under Easements, Encumbrances and Interests the following is noted…

Encroachment | What are your rights? You may find yourself in a situation where you or your neighbour may have an encroachment – where a building or structure intrudes or…

Defects | Buying off the plan, a new home or near new home With any newly constructed residential property, there is the possibility that there will be defects which you…

Hot Tip – First Home Buyer in the Brisbane City Council area? Brisbane City Council charges a change of ownership ‘rate account and services establishment fee’ of currently $195.20. This…

Buying a home with living space under legal height Imagine this; you have found your dream ‘Queenslander’ – a stunning 5 bedroom, 2 storey home where two of the bedrooms…

Is the Brisbane property market about to be woken up? You may have noticed the increased optimism in the Brisbane property market recently. Whether Brisbane will in fact have a…

Buying a Property | Joint Tenants vs Tenants in Common If you have more than two purchasers buying a property, you must decide whether you want to hold the property…

Interest rate cut June 2019 | How far will they fall? In the latest Reserve Bank decision on Tuesday, 4 June 2019, the Official Cash Rate has been dropped to…

Finance Conditions | The Cost of Extensions It is becoming more and more common, particularly following the Banking Royal Commission, for lenders to be taking longer to process loan applications…

New Proposed First Home Buyer Deposit Scheme   The new government (Coalition) has offered $500m to underwrite home loan deposits for first home buyers who can save for a deposit…

Federal Election 2019 | What the election result means for the property market   Whether you are stunned or ecstatic, the Coalition is on track to secure a majority government…

Calculating Residential Contract Due Dates Calculating due dates under a residential contract can be confusing, especially if the contract was signed on the weekend or a due date falls on…

Love Thy Neighbour? Trees | Fences Trees and fences are a common catalyst to a good old-fashioned neighbourly dispute. Tree disputes are often about the damage they cause to a…

Varying a contract prior to settlement Situations commonly arise where after a contract is entered into, the parties agree to reduce the purchase price following a pest and building inspection…

Terminating under a ‘pest and building’ condition – “the Buyer must act reasonably” In Queensland it is standard for contracts of sale to include a pest and building condition. The…

Good service does not have to cost the EARTH You may not be aware but at Map Lawyers, we are committed to providing our services in a manner that does…

A higher land valuation might not be as good as it sounds The Valuer-General has recently issued the annual land valuations for 18 local government areas in Queensland (Brisbane, Burdekin,…

How to avoid being bitten – What to look for when choosing a conveyancing solicitor? Buying a home or investment is one of the biggest purchases you will ever make,…

What effects could the federal election have on property? If all of the polls are right and Labor is elected in 2019, the Labour government proposes to: abolish the blanket…

What is land tax and what are the thresholds? Most people who own land in Queensland do not need to pay land tax and probably are not too concerned about…

New Zealanders buying property in Queensland  It is common knowledge that kiwis flock to Queensland seeking sandy shores, sunshine and a relaxed life in the land of opportunity. Do kiwis…

Thinking of property co-ownership? Go in with your eyes open Today’s ever-increasing house prices across Australia have left a generation of Australians feeling like owing their own home will only…

The A to Z of transfer duty in Queensland If you are looking to purchase a property, you are likely to be affected by transfer duty (formally known as stamp…

What should happen in a conveyance? Transferring a property – is just the tip of the iceberg – when completing a conveyance. When people think of conveyancing, they generally think…

What is the difference between a Lawyer and a Conveyancer? Conveyancers specialise in the real property law of conveyancing and complete a one year diploma course and an additional year…

A Super way to buy your First Home – without missing out on your avo on toast Are you lost in the jargon about whether you should tap into your…

Do I need a witness when signing a contract for sale in Queensland? The REIQ Contract which is the main form of contract for the sale of residential land in…

Do I Need to Get House Insurance Before Settlement? This is an important issue and we certainly recommend that you do insure a property to protect your interest in it…

Your rights regarding the condition of the property on settlement? Under a standard REIQ Contract for the sale of residential property, which is commonly used for real estate transactions in…

The NEW Queensland First Home Buyers Grant beyond 30 June 2018 The Queensland State Government announced in the June 2018 Budget that the First Home Owner’s Grant will continue, however…

The Hidden Costs of Buying a Property In addition to the price tag of the house, moving costs and utility services, here are some of the common extra costs associated…

Buying a new apartment? What are your rights regarding defects? We often get questions from clients purchasing off the plan or new units about warranties for building defects. Defects usually…

Time is running out to secure the Queensland First Home Owner’s Grant To be eligible for the Queensland First Home Owners Grant of $20,000 you must: be at least 18…

Purchasing or selling your home? – New GST Withholding Regime 2018 The Government has introduced a new GST Withholding Regime to take effect from 1 July 2018. The change will…

Changes to foreign resident capital gains withholding payments On 1 July 2017, the Federal Government passed changes to the existing Foreign Residential Capital Gains Tax withholding scheme. These changes have…

Contracts subject to building and pest inspections If a Contract is subject to a building and pest inspection, a purchaser must take all reasonable steps to obtain at least one…