How-To Guides for Buyers, Sellers & Agents in Victoria
Buying or selling a property in Victoria? These guides walk you through the process step-by-step — from reviewing contracts and preparing a Section 32, to understanding your rights when things go wrong.
Our plain-English How-To Guides are written by David Dawn, licensed conveyancer and founder of Victorian Property Settlements. They explain exactly what to do, what to watch out for, and how to avoid the most common pitfalls in Victorian property transactions.
Whether you’re buying, selling, investing, or just helping someone else — we’ve got you covered.
Why We Wrote These Guides
Every day, we work with clients who’ve been caught off guard — by a misleading contract, a faulty pool barrier, or a buyer pulling out at the last minute. These guides are here to prevent that.
Each one is written specifically for the Victorian market, based on current laws, contract conditions, and real-life settlement risks.
We don’t just explain what’s required — we show you how to do it right.
Topics We Cover
We’ve grouped our most popular guides below by who they’re designed to help. New guides are added regularly.
***If the link does not work, it is because we are still working on this list. Email us the topic and we will make it next and send you the first copy ******
If You're Buying a Property
How to Buy Through an SMSF in Victoria
How to Avoid Settlement on a Friday
How to Spot Auction Contracts With Hidden Risks
What to Do If the Valuation Comes in Too Low
How to Buy Off-the-Plan Safely
What Happens If the Vendor Dies Before Settlement
How to Back Out of a Property Contract — and When It's Too Late
How to Buy a House With a Pool (and Stay Compliant)
Buying a Property Subject to Tenancy — What You Need to Know
What If the Property You’re Buying Is ‘Uninsurable’?
If You're Selling a Property
How to Prepare a Section 32 Vendor’s Statement
How to Disclose Owners Corporation Information Correctly
How to Sell a Property With a Pool (and Avoid Fines)
How to Handle a Nomination Clause Safely
How to Get a Section 27 Statement Signed — and When It’s Safe to Release the Deposit
How to Respond If the Buyer Defaults on Settlement
How to Avoid Misleading Inclusions or Undisclosed Works
What If Your Buyer Tries to Renegotiate the Price or Terms?
How to Draft a Clean and Enforceable Sale Contract
Selling Property With a Mortgage — How It Actually Works
What to Do If the Property Is Passed In at Auction
Dealing With Land Tax and Other Adjustment Disputes
For Real Estate Agents
When Is Commission Payable If a Sale Falls Through?
How to Spot Dangerous Special Conditions in Contracts
How to Help Clients Understand What a Conveyancer Actually Does
When a Buyer Fails to Settle — Your Role as the Agent
How to Talk Clients Through Section 27 and Early Deposit Releases
Why Agents Should Never Encourage Friday Settlements
What You Need to Know About SMSF Property Rules
Understanding Body Corporate Disclosure Rules
Explaining the Risks of Nomination Clauses to Buyers and Vendors
What to Do If a Client Accepts an Offer via WhatsApp or SMS
DIY Tools and Templates
DIY Section 32 Vendor Statement Toolkit
Editable Contract Templates and Conditions
Auction Buyer Risk Checklist
SMSF Property Purchase Decision Guide
Finance Pre-Approval Checklist for Buyers
Settlement Day Checklist
Pool Barrier Compliance Checklist (Victoria + QLD)
→ Explore DIY tools here
Why Clients Trust These Guides
These guides are not written by marketers or AI. Every word has been reviewed and approved by David Dawn — licensed conveyancer, former mayor of Frankston City, and principal of Victorian Property Settlements.
David’s experience spans over 25 years of real-world property transactions, contract disputes, settlements gone wrong, and thousands of successful outcomes.
When you follow these guides, you’re learning from someone who’s been there and seen it all.
Need Advice About Your Own Contract or Sale?
These guides are designed to help — but they’re no substitute for personalised advice.
If you have a contract in front of you, or if you’re preparing to buy or sell, let us review the paperwork and give you a clear, plain-English explanation of your rights, risks, and obligations.
Call us: 03 9783 0111
Email: info@quick32.com
Victorian Property Settlements — Trusted for over 25 years by Victorian buyers and sellers.
Visit: www.victorianpropertysettlements.com.au
Need more information
Here’s more detailed information on each; we’ll keep you updated as well.
