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…
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…
Affordable conveyancing in South East Queensland with fixed fee pricing Affordable conveyancing in South East Queensland with fixed fee pricing starting from $449 for a sale and $795 for a…
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…
