Whether you are buying or selling a property, you are the one who must be satisfied with the outcome – not the agent, not your family or friends. Stay in control of the process and let your lawyer help you to:

• understand the buying and selling process
• understand the continuing financial commitments, especially if you are buying a unit title or leasehold property as they are different to those associated with traditional home ownership
• understand the different disclosures you are legally required to make as a seller or request or receive as a buyer of a unit title property, and the consequences or remedies available if they are not made or are made late
• understand the loan documentation and the financial commitment you are making, and that it fits within your budget
• work out your financial limitations – how much you can borrow, how much you can afford to repay, and can you satisfy any conditions of your loan approval?
• talk to your lawyer about any pre-purchase checks (‘due diligence’) you should make
• find out the other costs of buying or selling a property
• complete any other legal work you might need such as making a will, preparing enduring powers of attorney, setting up a trust or understanding taxation or property relationship matters
• understand the agents’ role, who they work for, how they are paid and how you can get best value from them.