Blogs
The questions we get asked. Answered properly.
What a matter actually costs, what the documents actually say, and what the law changed this month. Written by our Principal, from the files.
Property
4 articlesStamp duty in Victoria: what a first home buyer actually pays in 2026 (with the maths)
Nothing under $600,000, a sliding scale to $750,000, and the full bill above that. Worked examples at $600k, $650k, $700k and $900k, plus the off-the-plan concession that runs to April 2027.
The section 32: seven things to check before you sign, and the one that lets you walk away
A vendor statement is the only document in a Victorian sale that gives a buyer a right to rescind up to settlement. Here is what must be in it, what to read first, and how section 32K works.
The cooling-off period in Victoria: three business days, and the six times it does not apply
You have three clear business days to walk away from a private sale contract and it costs $100 or 0.2% of the price. Here is how the days are counted, what you lose, and when the right does not exist at all.
What conveyancing actually costs in Melbourne, and why the cheapest quote rarely is
A conveyancing quote has three parts: the fee, the disbursements and the government charges. Most online quotes show you one. Here is the full settlement statement for a $900,000 purchase, line by line.
Commercial
2 articlesSeven lease clauses that cost tenants money, and what the Retail Leases Act does about them
A commercial lease is the largest contract most small businesses sign and the least read. Rent reviews, outgoings, make good, options, guarantees: here is where the money goes, and the protections a retail tenant already has under Victorian law.
Selling a business in Victoria: the nine things that stall settlement, and the section 52 statement
A business sale takes six to ten weeks from heads of agreement to completion when it runs well. It runs badly for predictable reasons: the lease, the licence, the staff, the finance on the equipment. Here is the list, and the one statutory document most sellers have never heard of.
Family
2 articlesHow property is divided after separation: the four steps, the 2025 changes, and the deadlines
There is no 50/50 rule. The court works through four steps, and since 10 June 2025 those steps are written into the Family Law Act, including the economic effect of family violence and who keeps the dog.
Divorce in Australia: the 12-month rule, what it costs, and how long it takes
You cannot apply until you have been separated for 12 months. After that, a divorce is mostly a form, a fee and a four-month wait. Here is the timeline, the court fee, and the four situations that need an extra document.
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