Melbourne’s north spans two very different property markets: established inner-north suburbs like Brunswick, Coburg and Preston, and the fast-growing corridors through Epping, Craigieburn and Mickleham. The legal questions in each are almost opposites, and we work across both.
Growth-corridor and house-and-land purchases
House-and-land packages are usually two contracts, not one: a land contract that settles when the plan of subdivision registers, and a separate building contract. They carry different risks and different timelines, and buyers are frequently surprised to learn their land settlement is due long before the house exists. Sunset dates, price-rise clauses in the build contract, and the developer’s design guidelines registered against the title are all worth reading closely. We review both contracts together so you can see the whole commitment.
First home buyers
The north is where a large share of Victoria’s first home buyers actually buy. Duty concessions and the First Home Owner Grant have real eligibility conditions — including residency requirements and thresholds that change — and getting them wrong is expensive. We check your eligibility as part of the conveyance rather than leaving you to work it out from a government website.
Established inner-north property
Brunswick, Northcote, Coburg and Preston bring the opposite problem: old titles, heritage overlays, right-of-way laneways, shared driveways and the occasional unregistered easement. Heritage controls in particular catch buyers who intend to renovate — an overlay can constrain far more than the façade.
Small business and leasing
Sydney Road, High Street and the northern industrial estates carry a mix of retail and warehouse tenancies. Whether a warehouse lease attracts the Retail Leases Act protections depends on how the premises are used, not just what the lease calls them — a distinction worth getting right before you sign a five-year term.
Common questions
My land settles before the house is built. Is that normal?
Yes — in a house-and-land package the land contract typically settles on registration of the plan of subdivision, and construction starts after that. It means you will be paying a mortgage on vacant land for a period. Your lender needs to know the structure, and so should you before you sign.
What is a sunset clause and why does it matter?
It is the long-stop date by which the plan must register or the build must be complete. If that date passes, one or both parties may be able to end the contract. In a rising market this has historically been used by some developers to terminate and resell — Victorian law now restricts that, but the clause is still one of the most important in the document.
How we can help
Conveyancing
Fixed-fee residential, commercial, strata and off-the-plan settlements — contract reviews, searches and a settlement day that runs on time.
Learn moreProperty & Leasing
Commercial, retail and residential leases drafted, reviewed and negotiated — plus tenancy disputes, VCAT and Small Business Commissioner matters.
Learn moreWills & Estate Planning
Wills, powers of attorney and advance care directives drafted or updated, so the people you care about are not left guessing.
Learn moreIntellectual Property & Trade Marks
Trade mark searches, IP Australia applications and brand protection strategy — so the name you built stays yours.
Learn moreOther Practice Areas
Commercial agreements, business structuring, disputes and the matters that do not fit a neat category. Ask us — we will tell you honestly.
Learn more