The useful starting point
Choose around the work and jurisdiction. Confirm the person’s professional status and the parts of the transaction they have accepted.
A property buyer may receive proposals from both a lawyer and a licensed conveyancer. NSW Government information describes conveyancing services provided by either, but that does not make every proposal interchangeable. The useful comparison is between the actual practitioners, the transaction and the work offered. Licensing arrangements and permitted work need checking in the relevant jurisdiction.
Compare the proposed property task
Explain whether the enquiry concerns a purchase, sale, transfer, off-the-plan contract or a problem in an existing transaction. Ask each office to describe its accepted work. Contract review, negotiating changes and managing settlement may be priced or scoped separately. A familiar job label should not replace a written explanation of who will do what.
Identify questions beyond the conveyance
Tell the office about a dispute, estate, company, trust, family arrangement or other issue connected with the property. Ask whether it can advise on that issue and whether a separate professional is needed. Do not assume the answer from the provider’s title alone. The correct question is whether the person is authorised, competent and willing to undertake the specific work.
Check status, conflicts and insurance information
Use the applicable official professional or licensing source to check the named practitioner. Ask which entity would be engaged and how complaints or questions about the service are handled. Explain all relevant parties for conflict assessment. A real registration is an identity check; it does not establish current capacity, a particular fee or that someone has reviewed your documents.
Use an equal-scope comparison example
Illustrative example: one proposal includes a pre-signing explanation and settlement; another lists settlement only. Before comparing prices, ask the second office about contract review and the first about amendments. If a separate ownership dispute emerges, ask both how they would handle it. This comparison produces answers about the service rather than a universal winner between professional categories.
Record the handover points
Ask who communicates with the agent, lender and other side, and how you approve changes or payments. Identify tasks left with you and what happens if a dispute delays the transaction. Keep the final scope and contact details where you can find them. For off-the-plan purchases, use the separate guide below to prepare contract-specific questions.
Sources and scope
The linked sources support the official context. Our comparison examples and preparation frameworks are original editorial tools. Examples are illustrative, not reports of client matters.
- NSW Government — conveyancing for buyers and sellers ↗
NSW conveyancing information. Licensing and scope should be checked for the property jurisdiction. Link and context checked .
General preparation information. No individual legal assessment or professional legal review is claimed. How this content is prepared →