Get Answers to Your Questions About Property Settlements in Western Australia

Buying or selling property is one of the biggest financial transactions that you will complete in your life. The consequences of making a financial or contractual mistake during this process can be both costly and heartbreaking. 

By having a licensed settlement agent, such as Apple Settlements, take care of your settlement, you can rest easy, knowing that your experienced conveyancer will manage your transaction efficiently and effectively.

If you would like Apple Settlements to handle the settlement of your property, please notify your real estate agent, who will arrange for the contract of sale to be forwarded to us. Once we receive a copy of the contract, we will open our file and send our initial documents to you for signing whilst we wait for any conditions on the contract to be satisfied.

Under most contracts in WA, each party has three business days in which they can settle after the due date, without penalty. If settlement has still not taken place in this ‘grace period’, the party that is ready to complete settlement may be able to charge the late party ‘penalty interest’, which is calculated based on the purchase price of the property. 

If you think there is a possibility that you won’t be ready to settle on the contracted settlement date, please speak to your conveyancer to discuss the options available to you.

In WA, most settlements take place via a digital workspace called PEXA. All parties to the transaction use the platform to prepare and sign the necessary documentation. Distribution of funds is also via the platform.

Once the settlement has ‘gone through', your conveyancer will call you with the good news. Following this, as a seller, you can release the keys to the real estate agent, or as a buyer, contact the real estate agent to arrange collection of the keys!

No, we are only licensed to carry out settlements in Western Australia. For interstate properties you will need to appoint a solicitor or conveyancer based in that particular state or territory.

A Verification of Identity (VOI) is a requirement introduced by Landgate for anyone buying or selling property in Western Australia. The process helps protect property owners from fraud by confirming the identity of all parties involved in a property transaction.

The most commonly accepted forms of identification are either:

• A valid passport and driver’s licence, or 
• A birth certificate, Medicare card, and driver’s licence 

You can complete your VOI by booking an appointment at the Apple Settlements office, or alternatively through Scantek, an approved online identity verification provider.

For more information about the best VOI option for you, please speak with your conveyancer.