Contract Reviews Before Auction

Buying at auction is different from any other property purchase. There's no cooling-off period, and no room to change your mind once the hammer falls. That makes reviewing the contract before auction day essential, not optional.

What makes auction purchases different

The moment the auctioneer's hammer falls (or you sign shortly after a passed-in auction), you're legally bound. There's no 5-business-day cooling-off period like there is for a private treaty purchase, and no way to withdraw without breaching the contract.

The contract has to be prepared and available once a property is being marketed, so it's already sitting with the agent, whether or not anyone has asked for it yet.

What we check before auction day

• The title and any encumbrances on the property
• Special conditions that could affect your rights after the sale
• Zoning, planning restrictions, and anything flagged in the section 10.7 certificate
• Whether a building and pest inspection makes sense before you bid (we recommend arranging this separately, and early)

How it works

Send us the contract as soon as you can get a copy from the agent, ideally several days before auction, not the morning of. We'll turn the review around quickly and talk you through anything you need to know before you raise your paddle.