How to Buy a House in Western Australia: Step-by-Step Guide

Enric Tarraso-Letang
30 minutes ago
4 min read

Buying a property in Australia can be confusing if you’re coming from the Spanish system. The laws, contracts, and procedures are quite different—especially in Western Australia (WA).In this guide, I’ll walk you through the key steps of the home-buying process and explain what to look out for before signing a contract.

1. Finding the property and making an offer

Once you find a property you like, the first step is to speak with the real estate agent and express your intention to make an offer.

When you do, mention that you’ve already been pre-assessed by a mortgage broker. This gives you credibility and tells the agent that you have the financial capacity to proceed.

If the agent wants confirmation, you can provide my contact details. I’ll simply confirm whether your buying power allows for the offered amount, without disclosing any personal financial information or your maximum budget.

2. The Offer and Acceptance (O&A) contract

Next, you’ll receive the Offer and Acceptance contract, which is the official document for making an offer.Before signing it, send me a copy so I can review it with you and make sure all the terms and conditions are correct.This step helps prevent unnecessary commitments or costly mistakes.

3. Key clauses to review in the contract

Here are the most important clauses that should be checked or added:

a) Settlement clause

I recommend setting the Settlement date to be 21 days after finance approval.If this deadline isn’t met, the buyer can face daily penalties.

b) Finance clause

The finance clause should also be set to 21 days after the contract is accepted, depending on your bank’s Service Level Agreement (SLA) or processing times.

c) Building and pest inspection

Ideally scheduled 10 days after finance approval, not before.Although not mandatory, this inspection is strongly advised as it allows you to request repairs for any structural or pest issues.If you skip it or miss the deadline, you could lose that right or even your deposit.

d) Deposit

In WA, there’s no minimum legal deposit. The usual range is between $2,000 and $10,000.

e) Offer validity clause

Include a note that says:

“This offer is valid for 72 hours.”

This is important because in WA, there’s no legal timeframe for the seller to respond.If the seller works FIFO (Fly In, Fly Out), they might take days to reply—blocking you from making other offers.If they accept your offer later when you’re no longer interested, you could risk losing your deposit.

f) Title of the property

Ask for a copy of the property title and send it to your Settlement Agent to confirm there are no liens or encumbrances that could affect your purchase.

g) Chattels (items included in the sale)

Ensure all items the seller promises to leave—such as appliances, curtains, or air conditioners—are listed in the contract.If they’re not written down, the seller can legally take them.

4. What happens after submitting your offer

Once you sign and submit your offer, the Real Estate Agent presents it to the seller.The seller may receive several offers and will choose the one that best suits their interests.

If your offer is accepted and signed, it becomes legally binding.If it’s rejected, the offer simply expires.

Important: while one offer is pending, avoid submitting another.If both get accepted, you could lose one of your deposits.

5. Final assessment and loan application

When the offer is accepted by both parties, send me the signed contract. At this stage, I’ll perform a final review of your credit analysis and update your lending options based on current rates.

Once you select your preferred bank, I’ll submit the formal loan application.The bank’s approval process can take 1 to 4 weeks, depending on their workload.This timeframe is already covered by the finance clause, so there’s no need to worry about delays.

6. The Settlement process

After the loan is approved, the bank issues a formal approval letter, which is sent to the real estate agent confirming the purchase can proceed.

During this time, you’ll also sign your mortgage documents.

You don’t need to attend the settlement meeting personally—your Settlement Agent or Conveyancer will represent you.The meeting usually involves:

Your Settlement Agent.
The seller’s Settlement Agent.
The bank’s legal representative.

It’s best not to use the same Settlement Agent as the seller, to avoid any conflict of interest.

If there are delays with finance or settlement dates, penalties may apply (around $100 per day).Your Settlement Agent will manage these matters directly.

7. After Settlement

Once the Settlement is complete, you’ll receive confirmation that the property is officially in your name. You can then collect the keys and move in.I’ll send you a final email with the steps to finalise the process with your bank and ensure everything is properly set up.

Final thoughts

Buying a home in Western Australia can be straightforward if you understand the process and review the contract carefully.Having the right mortgage broker and Settlement Agent by your side makes the experience smoother and protects you from unexpected issues.

If you’re planning to buy a property—or already have one in mind—I can help you review your contract and evaluate your finance options before making an offer.

Contact me here https://www.tarrasoletang.com.au/contact or book a free apointment here: https://www.tarrasoletang.com.au/services for a free personalised review of your situation.