What Are Property Searches?

Property or conveyancing searches are official inquiries made by legal professionals to various public authorities, uncovering important details about the property you’re purchasing. These include information about:

  • Ownership, boundaries, easements, and restrictions (title searches)
  • Council rates, land taxes, and water charges (rates & water searches)
  • Environmental risks like flood, contamination, and ground instability
  • Connectivity of water supply and drainage systems
  • Other potential risks depending on location—e.g., mining, main roads, body corporate issues

Why These Searches Are Essential

  1. Protects Your Investment
     Without searches, you risk inheriting unpaid bills, liens, flood-prone land, or legal easements—many of which could be expensive or irreversible
  2. Accurate Settlement Calculations
     Searches determine exactly what portion of rates, water, land tax, or levies have been prepaid or remain owing. These figures feed directly into the settlement adjustments—to ensure fairness between buyer and seller 
  3. Required for Financing
     Lenders may in some circumstances require full search results before releasing mortgage funds, ensuring there are no hidden liabilities that could affect loan security 

How Settlement Adjustments Work

  • Sellers typically pay council rates, water, and levies up to the settlement date.
  • Buyers reimburse the seller for any prepayments on those items, based on search data and meter readings.
  • Adjustments ensure that you don’t overpay for services you haven’t received post settlement—or that you aren’t left out of pocket.

Example:
 If the seller paid council rates and water through 31 December, but settlement is on 30 September, a proportional credit is applied to the buyer’s settlement statement.

Common Searches and Their Roles

Search Type Purpose Impact on Settlement
Title Search Confirms ownership, checks mortgages, easements Identifies caveats or encumbrances that must be cleared pre-settlement 
Rates & Water Search Reveals current account balances or arrears for rates and water Enables precise calculation of monetary adjustments
Land Tax Search Checks for any unpaid land tax Prevents unexpected tax liability post-settlement
Water & Drainage Search Confirms connections to mains infrastructure Ensures no surprise costs for connecting or repairing utilities
Environmental & Flood Search Highlights contamination, flood, or ground stability issues Could affect insurance costs and future development plans
Additional Searches Mining, road plans, strata report, body corp levies Identifies site-specific issues that could affect future use

 

How can we help you? 

  • We order and interpret all necessary searches—rates, water, title, land tax, and body corporate levies if applicable.
  • We afford the opportunity to order additional optional searches to assist where you may have a specific interest or concern about the property.
  • We calculate accurate settlement figures so you’re not overpaying or missing risks.
  • We assist in negotiating adjustments if searches reveal issues or overpaid amounts.
  • We explain everything in plain English and verify your financial exposure before settlement.

Don’t Leave Money on the Table

Skipping searches or miscalculating adjustments can result in overpayment, surprise debts, or legal issues once you move in. With Reid Legal Group’s conveyancing expertise, you get peace of mind and transparent settlement figures—no surprises.