When should I get my contract reviewed?

As soon as you are serious about a property. Before you offer is best, and always before exchange.

Is an accepted offer binding in NSW?

No. The sale becomes binding when signed contracts are exchanged. Until then either side can walk away.

Can I rely on the cooling-off period?

It is risky. A private sale usually has 5 business days of cooling-off, but withdrawing costs 0.25% of the price, and there is none at auction.

Yes, for your first 90 days. $49 per review after that.

The legal side of property doesn’t need to be confusing. Our playbook breaks it down simply, step by step.

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Found a property you love?

Don’t wait on the legals. Upload your contract now and our expert property lawyers will review it within 4 business hours where possible. We’ll flag any risks, explain the fine print in plain English, and give you the confidence to move forward, or walk away knowing exactly where you stand.

Know where you stand before you buy.

Get a Free Contract of Sale and Section 32 review, no obligation, back within 4 business hours.

See at a glance what’s safe, what’s a risk, and what to question before signing.

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Before you exchange · NSW

Contract review before you buy.

The best time to find a problem is before you've signed. Send us the Contract for sale and attached documents when the agent sends them, and we'll tell you what to check, ask or negotiate.

Review before you sign, not after
Free. No obligation. No credit card.
Same-business-day response

Get my free contract review Ready to buy? $1,900 fixed-fee conveyancing

Start your journey here.

Takes a minute. We reply the same business day.

No obligation. No payment to get started. We'll call or email with your fixed quote.

What it costs

Free review. Fixed-fee conveyancing. One team if you want to keep going.

You don't need to appoint us to get your contract reviewed. Start with the free review. If you decide to buy the property, you can then choose whether you'd like Prepared to handle the conveyancing.

Free

Contract review

No charge. No obligation. No credit card. You're not limited to one property.

Fixed fee $1,900

Conveyancing, if you buy

Incl. GST, for a standard residential purchase. Covers contract review, title and plan review, special conditions and negotiation, exchange and cooling-off, transfer duty calculation and lodgement, reviewing building, pest and strata reports, searches and requisitions, preparing settlement statement and adjustments, liaising with your bank, PEXA settlement and regular updates.

Government charges, searches and transfer duty are additional and are payable to the relevant authorities or third parties. No hourly billing. No surprise legal bill. No pressure either way.

Timing

When to get your contract reviewed.
Timing changes what you can do about a problem. Before you sign, you can ask for changes or walk away. After, your options narrow.

The points that matter:

when you’re interested: ask the agent for the contract (it must be ready before the property is advertised)
before you offer: decide which terms you want changed, such as settlement or finance
before you exchange: check every prescribed document is attached
before auction day: the terms are fixed and there's no cooling-off
during cooling-off, if it applies: 5 business days goes quickly

Earlier is better. It costs nothing to send it now.

What's included

What does a contract review before buying include?

We read both documents in full and flag what deserves your attention before you commit. Your review is done by Australian property lawyers who work in NSW property law.

Contract of Sale We look at the terms and conditions, including special conditions, settlement provisions and buyer obligations.
Attached documents We review the information provided about the property and identify matters that may need attention or further investigation.
Special conditions Special conditions can materially change the standard transaction. We'll explain the ones that matter.
Title and restrictions We'll identify relevant easements, covenants and other restrictions appearing in the documents.
Strata Where relevant, we’ll flag strata information and issues that may affect the property.
What happens next We'll explain the practical next steps so you know what to ask, investigate or negotiate before proceeding.

Private sale

An accepted offer isn’t binding until exchange.

In NSW an accepted offer isn’t binding. The sale becomes binding when signed contracts are exchanged, so use that window to get the review done and the terms right.

You make your offer and negotiate directly with the agent. You can make your offer conditional, for example on finance or a building inspection.

Consider adding a date your offer lapses. That way you know where you stand.

What’s attached

What’s attached to an NSW contract?
The seller attaches the prescribed documents to the contract. They can include information relating to:

It can include information relating to:

ownership and title
mortgages and other registered interests
easements
covenants
planning
strata manager and by-laws
drainage and sewerage
notices and charges
services

The above list is not a complete list. Every property is unique. What's disclosed, what's missing and what it means can matter before you commit to the purchase.

Found a problem?

You stay in control.

A review doesn't tell you that you have to buy the property. It gives you information before you make the decision. Depending on what we find, you may choose to:

Walk away If the property or contract isn't right for you.
Negotiate Ask for a change to the contract, price or other terms.
Investigate further Get the right building, pest, planning or other advice.
Proceed Move forward knowing what you're agreeing to.

Buying at auction?

Get your contract reviewed before you bid.

Auction purchases are different. In NSW there’s no cooling-off at auction, or for a contract exchanged on the same day after a pass-in. That makes understanding the contract before you bid particularly important.

If you're considering bidding at auction, send us the contract before auction day so we can review it and suggest amendments to the contract that benefit you and suit what you need.

Get my free contract review

How it works

Four simple steps.

Upload your contract

Send us the contract securely online.

We review it

A property lawyer reviews the documents and identifies the issues that matter.

Get your review the same business day

We'll return your review with clear explanations and practical next steps.

Decide what to do

Walk away, negotiate, investigate further or proceed. There's no obligation to use Prepared for conveyancing.

Get my free contract review Or call 1300 018 099

Why use a property lawyer?

Your contract deserves more than a tick-and-flick.

Same business day where possible

Property moves quickly. Submit before 2pm and we'll aim to have your review back before you need it. If we can't meet that timing, we'll tell you.

Reviewed by property lawyers

A property contract isn't just paperwork. It creates legal obligations. Our reviews are completed by experienced Australian property lawyers working in NSW property law.

Sydney office, NSW law

Our Sydney office is in Chippendale, a short walk from Central Station.

Sydney property lawyers

NSW property law, locally understood.

Prepared works across Sydney and NSW. Wherever you’re buying, send us the contract before you commit.

We also review contracts across Greater Sydney and regional NSW, including Parramatta, Blacktown, Penrith, Liverpool, Bankstown, Chatswood, Bondi, Manly, Gosford, Terrigal, Erina, Woy Woy, Newcastle, Maitland, Port Stephens, Nelson Bay, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Tweed Heads, Shellharbour, Kiama, Nowra, Jervis Bay, Batemans Bay and Ulladulla.

Don't see your suburb? If it’s in NSW, we can help. Send us your contract.

Inner Sydney & CBD

Haymarket Surry Hills Ultimo

Inner south

Alexandria Darlington Erskineville Eveleigh Redfern Waterloo Zetland

Inner west

Camperdown Glebe

Free contract review Sydney Contract for sale review NSW Contract review before auction NSW Lawyer contract review NSW Fixed-fee conveyancing Sydney

FAQs

Straight answers.

When should I get a contract reviewed before buying?

Before you sign it, and ideally before you make an offer, so you know which terms you want to negotiate.

Can I ask for changes to the contract before signing?

Yes, in a private sale. Price, settlement period and conditions such as finance are all open to negotiation.

What if I've already signed?

Send it to us straight away. If cooling-off applies, you have 5 business days from exchange, and withdrawing costs 0.25% of the price. After that, your options are more limited.

Should I get a building inspection too?

Often, yes. The contract review covers the legal documents. A building and pest inspection checks the property itself.

Is the review really free?

Yes. There's no charge, no credit card and no obligation to appoint Prepared for conveyancing.

How long does a review take?

We aim to return reviews the same business day. Send your documents before 2pm and we'll aim to have it back before you need it.

Can I get more than one property reviewed?

Yes. Send the contracts for each property you're considering while you search.

Melbourne office
Level 1, 33 Cremorne Street,
Cremorne, VIC 3121

Sydney office
20–40 Meagher Street,
Chippendale NSW 2008

Phone: 1300 018 099
Email: contracts@prepared.com.au

Contract Reviews

For Buyers

For Sellers

Why Prepared

Prepared.com.au Pty Ltd – ABN 97 688 614 066
Provides information-only contract reviews sold via partner real estate agencies. Not a law practice. Not legal advice.

Prepared Legal Services Pty Ltd – ABN 94 688 125 180
Australian legal practice. Legal Services Board Entity Number E0030050.
Provides legal advice and conveyancing to clients who retain us.

Buying property should feel exciting, not overwhelming. We’re here to give you speed, clarity and confidence, so you can move on your next home without the stress.

Selling is a big move. We make the legal side fast and stress-free, so you can focus on your next chapter with certainty.

We’re more than property lawyers. We’re the team reimagining conveyancing to put people first.