Residential and commercial property transactions across Queensland, from contract review through settlement.
Most conveyancing disputes trace back to the contract. Not to settlement, not to the title search, not to the bank, to a clause one party did not read closely enough before signing.
Fraser Lawyers acts for buyers and sellers in residential and commercial property transactions across Queensland. Work runs from the contract stage, through requisitions and any title issues, to settlement and registration. Since 1 August 2025 the Property Law Act 2023 (Qld) has governed property contracts in Queensland, replacing the 1974 Act and introducing a mandatory seller-disclosure regime that operates on most sales before the contract is signed. The residential and commercial streams below describe what that involves in practice.
Houses, units, townhouses and vacant land. Contract review and special conditions are where most of the work happens; settlement tends to follow if the contract is right. Stamp duty assessment, first-home and home concession eligibility, and the seller-disclosure requirements under the Property Law Act 2023 (Qld) are covered on every residential file.
Freestanding buildings, retail tenancies, industrial sites and going-concern transactions. Commercial sales carry their own contractual architecture: GST treatment (going-concern exemption, margin scheme or standard), lease assignments, tenancy disclosures, and transfer duty at rates that differ from residential. There is no cooling-off period on a commercial contract.
Contracts for property not yet constructed or registered. The contractual risk profile is different: sunset clauses, developer variations, and a disclosure regime that operates under both the Property Law Act 2023 (Qld) and the Land Sales Act 1984 (Qld). The time between signing and settlement on an off-the-plan transaction can be two years or more, and the contract bears most of the risk during that period.
Lots in community title schemes governed by the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (Qld). By-law review, contribution levies, exclusive use rights, and the scheme disclosures required at sale sit alongside the standard conveyancing work. Outstanding levies and undisclosed deficiencies in scheme finances are among the most common issues on unit transactions.
The principal Act governing the formation and content of property contracts in Queensland. From 1 August 2025 it replaced the Property Law Act 1974 (Qld), introducing a new seller-disclosure regime that operates across most residential and commercial sales.
Establishes the Queensland Torrens title system. Governs registration of title, dealings, easements, mortgages and caveats, and the indefeasibility of registered title.
Imposes transfer (stamp) duty on dutiable transactions, including the home concession, the first-home concession and the foreign-acquirer surcharge. Self-assessment is the standard pathway for most residential transactions.
The framework for community title schemes in Queensland. Governs body corporate constitution, contributions, by-laws, dispute resolution and the disclosures required when a lot in a scheme is sold.
Governs sales of vacant land and proposed lots in subdivisions. Includes the disclosure regime for off-the-plan and proposed-lot transactions.
The procedural framework if a property dispute proceeds to court. Most conveyancing files do not litigate, but a contractual breach can take a file there.
Governs how solicitors in Queensland may practice, including the requirement under section 308 to provide a written costs disclosure before any work begins. We comply with it on every engagement.
Founded by Blake Fraser. Twelve years of practice in eight areas, on the same Bundall address.
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Plain-English answers to the questions clients tend to ask. If your question is not here, call us.
Get in touchEither is permitted in Queensland, but the work is not the same. A solicitor reviews the contract before it is signed, advises on special conditions, identifies title issues, runs requisitions, and handles any contractual problem that arises before settlement. Many issues that look minor at signing carry a meaningful consequence later. Fraser Lawyers acts from the contract stage, not just from exchange.
Acting for both sides of a property transaction creates a conflict of interest under the Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules. Fraser Lawyers acts for one side per file. If the other party is a related person, that is raised at the first call and alternative representation is arranged.
The standard REIQ contract has a 30-day settlement period from the contract date. Within that period, a buyer typically has 14 days for finance approval and 14 days for building and pest inspection. Some contracts negotiate longer periods; cash contracts can settle sooner. The timeline is driven by the contract; we work to its requirements.
Since 1 August 2025, the Property Law Act 2023 (Qld) requires a seller to provide a prescribed disclosure form and supporting documents to the buyer before the contract is signed. The form covers title, encumbrances, body corporate information (if applicable), planning, and other prescribed matters. The obligation applies to most residential and commercial sales. Fraser Lawyers prepares the disclosure on a sale file and reviews it on a purchase file.
A caveat is a notice on title that prevents further dealings with the property without the caveator’s consent. It is lodged where a person holds an interest in a property and needs to protect that interest before formal title is registered. Caveats have procedural requirements and a limited life; they also carry consequences if lodged without proper grounds. We advise on timing and merit before anything is lodged.
A written costs disclosure is provided under section 308 of the Legal Profession Act 2007 (Qld) before any work begins. The disclosure sets out the fee basis, an estimate, and the expected disbursements: search fees, body corporate certificates, registration fees and the like. That is explained before any commitment is made.
An initial call or email is usually enough to understand the transaction and what is involved. Fraser Lawyers is based at 86 Bundall Road, Bundall QLD 4217, and acts for buyers and sellers across the Gold Coast and Queensland.
Five minutes from Surfers Paradise, ten from Robina. On-site parking. Talk to us about your matter; we will tell you what we think and what the next step is.