Savings

Stamp duty dominates the headlines, and mortgage rates still set the mood, yet for many first-time buyers the budget blowout starts in quieter places, during the paperwork-heavy weeks between offer and settlement. In Australia’s hotter metro markets, delays, extra searches, contract surprises, and “just one more” legal request can turn a neat spreadsheet into a moving target. Conveyancing is often treated as a box to tick, but it is also a cost centre, a risk filter, and sometimes the difference between a smooth settlement and an expensive scramble. Budget shock often starts after the offer How expensive can “the legal bit” be? Many first-time buyers plan carefully for the deposit, lender’s fees, building and pest reports, and moving costs, but underestimate the way conveyancing-related...