Press kit + open datasets

Story angles + headline data

If you're writing about Australian property settlements, conveyancing reform, e-conveyancing, stamp duty or first-home-buyer transaction costs, here's the headline-ready data points pulled from this CSV:

• Sector size: Around 5,800 licensed conveyancers across Australia (mostly NSW + VIC, where conveyancing is a separate licensed profession). In QLD + ACT + NT only solicitors can perform conveyancing. Around 480,000 residential property settlements complete annually nationally.
• Licensing landscape: NSW (NSW Fair Trading), VIC (CAV), SA (Consumer + Business Services), WA (DMIRS) + TAS run separate licensed-conveyancer schemes. QLD + ACT + NT require admission as a solicitor. AIC (Australian Institute of Conveyancers) is the peak professional body, around 2,100 members.
• Typical 2026 fees: Residential purchase $660-$1,650 fixed-fee plus disbursements (search fees $400-$900, settlement fee $80-$150). Sale typically $550-$1,200. Off-the-plan + new construction $1,200-$2,500 (longer engagement). Commercial $2,500-$8,000 depending on complexity. Sydney + Melbourne CBD typically 15-25pct above national average.
• E-conveyancing dominance: Around 98pct of settlements nationally now run through PEXA (Property Exchange Australia) since the 2019-2022 mandate. Sympli + LEAP launched competing platforms 2023-2024 but PEXA retains around 95pct market share. Manual paper settlements are now exceptional.
• Cooling-off period: Varies by state — NSW 5 business days (2.5pct of price forfeit if cooling off), VIC 3 business days (0.2pct of price), QLD 5 business days (0.25pct). Auction sales have no cooling-off period in any state. Cooling-off can be waived (Section 66W in NSW) or extended by agreement.
• Stamp duty hot topic: Major reform in VIC (commercial + industrial property duty replaced with annual property tax from July 2024). NSW first-home-buyer choice (annual property tax) was abolished mid-2024 by Labor government. State governments continue to use stamp duty as ~25pct of state revenue, creating ongoing reform pressure.
• Vendor disclosure obligations: Each state mandates pre-contract disclosure documents (Section 32 statement VIC, vendor's statement NSW under amended Conveyancing Act 2025, etc). Failure to comply gives buyer rescission rights. This is the conveyancer's primary risk-management role for sellers.
• Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB): Non-resident purchasers require FIRB approval before contracting (around $14,700 application fee for residential under $1m, scaling sharply). Around 8,500 FIRB residential approvals 2024-25. Conveyancers manage the FIRB process for foreign buyers.

Direct quote attribution: "Best Conveyancers Australia" or "bestconveyancersaustralia.com.au".