Australian Real Estate Blog

Licensed Conveyancers - A Serious Risk For Consumers

Peter Mericka — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:41:00 GMT

OPINION by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.B Real Estate Consumer Advocate Real Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer Victoria Director Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd I was motivated to write this article for www.AustralianRealEstateBlog.com.au after I had...(read more)

Open For Inspection - Open For Theft!

Peter Mericka — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:29:00 GMT

OPINION by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.B Real Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer Victoria Director Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd Some time ago I wrote a posting about thefts during property inspections, and noted that some estate agents were including...(read more)

Open For Inspection? Open For Exploitation!

Peter Mericka — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:07:00 GMT

OPINION by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.B Real Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer Victoria Director Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd A vendor should always be present during house inspections. Whenever an estate agent shows a prospective purchaser through...(read more)

How To Read The Contract Of Sale Of Real Estate

Peter Mericka — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:47:00 GMT

OPINION by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.B Real Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer Victoria Director Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd The old Contract Note was a very simple document. It contained no General Conditions (these were incorporated by reference)...(read more)

Fraud Alert

Peter Mericka — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:46:00 GMT

The Queensland Law Society has issued the following Fraud Alert: It has come to the Society's attention that a property seller in Queensland has been approached by, what purports to be, a UK-based law firm called 'Baur and Associates'. The Associate/Department...(read more)

Estate Agent Referrals - Punishment & Corruption

Peter Mericka — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:32:00 GMT

OPINION by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.B Real Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer Victoria Director Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd I have previously written about estate agents who refer clients to "pet" solicitors and conveyancers in return for payment,...(read more)

First Home Owner Grant - Fraud Warning

Peter Mericka — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:25:00 GMT

OPINION by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.B Real Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer Victoria Director Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd Since 14 October, 2008 we have received numerous telephone enquiries from purchasers of residential real estate who want...(read more)

First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) Increases

Peter Mericka — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:23:00 GMT

by Shannyn Hunter Conveyancer shannyn@lawyersconveyancing.com.au Lawyers Conveyancing As Australians brace themselves for the global economic shockwave, the Government has announced its “Economic Security Strategy”. The $10.4 billion dollar Government...(read more)

Sex and the Single Seller

Shannyn Hunter — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 01:30:00 GMT

OPINION by Tim O'Dwyer M.A., LL.B Solicitor Consumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au Do real estate agents score more sexual favours during home inspections than solicitors do at conveyancing settlements? Do agents experience more sexual harassment...(read more)

New Contract of Sale of Real Estate - FREE Download!

Peter Mericka — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 03:33:00 GMT

OPINION by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.B Real Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer Victoria Director Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd I have been very critical of the underhanded approach taken by the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) in designing...(read more)

New Contract - Same Old Deception

Peter Mericka — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:49:00 GMT

OPINION by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.B Real Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer Victoria Director Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd The new Contract of Sale of Real Estate prescribed by the Estate Agents (Contracts) Regulations 2008 was supposed to...(read more)

The Finance Approval Minefield

Peter Mericka — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:33:00 GMT

by Shannyn Hunter Conveyancer shannyn@lawyersconveyancing.com.au Lawyers Conveyancing Anyone who has dealt with the banks for a home loan will tell you about their battle scars with pride. Simply securing finance approval can be a frustrating and baffling...(read more)

Contract Note Banned! Estate Agents Lose Deception Tool

Peter Mericka — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 20:45:00 GMT

OPINION by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.B Real Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer Victoria Director Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd The document known in the real estate industry as “the standard REIV Contract Note” has been banned. As from 28 September,...(read more)

How To Pay Two Commissions In One Sale

Peter Mericka — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:33:00 GMT

OPINION by Tim O'Dwyer M.A., LL.B Solicitor Consumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au There is an old joke about Lady Cul de Sac. She did not want the title, but there was no way out. Julie James (not her real name) did not want to complete the...(read more)

Beware of Agents' Pet Building Inspectors!

Peter Mericka — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:54:00 GMT

OPINION by Tim O'Dwyer M.A., LL.B Solicitor Consumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au When will governments put in place stronger legislative measures to protect real estate consumers not only from self-serving real estate agents, but also from...(read more)