# Offers, contracts and settlement in NSW: a seller’s guide Compare the whole offer and understand the questions to take to your conveyancer about exchange, cooling-off and handover. Experimental representation, not a recognized search protocol or ranking factor. The canonical HTML guide is authoritative. Format: plantosell-public-content/2 Stable ID: plantosell:guide:offers-contracts-settlement Canonical HTML: [Offers, contracts and settlement in NSW: a seller’s guide]() Representation: [Markdown]() Language: en-AU Scope: NSW, Australia Official-source check date: 2026-10-14 (existing editorial check, not a new update date). General information, not personalised legal, tax, financial or valuation advice. Check current official guidance and consult a qualified local adviser. ## The short version - Compare price with conditions, deposit, inclusions and settlement timing. - Buyer cooling-off for an established private sale is not a seller cancellation right. - Exchange and settlement are different; release keys only through the agreed authorised process. ## Contents - [Compare offers on the same sheet]() - [Review the contract before exchange]() - [Buyer cooling-off: the NSW distinction]() - [Between exchange and settlement]() - [Settlement and handover]() ## Compare offers on the same sheet [Canonical section]() An offer is more than a number. Ask your agent to put the price, deposit, conditions, inclusions, expiry or response timing and proposed settlement date together. Compare each against your needs, and note which terms are uncertain or still being negotiated. A higher price may involve conditions or timing that do not suit you. Conversely, a shorter settlement is not automatically better if you need time to move. Ask your solicitor or licensed conveyancer what each condition means and what would happen if it is not met. Do not treat a verbal offer or acceptance as a substitute for advice about when a binding agreement exists. - Is finance or an inspection condition proposed, and how is it worded? - What deposit is proposed and how will it be handled? - Which fixtures, fittings or other inclusions need clarification? - Does the settlement date work with lender discharge and moving arrangements? - What is still to be agreed before exchange? ## Review the contract before exchange [Canonical section]() Your solicitor or licensed conveyancer should have prepared the contract before advertising. As an offer develops, ask them to explain any amendments, disclosures, conditions, ownership or tenancy issues and the final agreed terms. Confirm who communicates instructions and what needs your approval. Exchange is a legal milestone separate from settlement. Ask when you become committed and what steps remain afterward. Keep the final documents and a list of deadlines. If you are uncertain, pause for advice rather than assuming the agent’s campaign timetable determines your legal position. ## Buyer cooling-off: the NSW distinction [Canonical section]() For established NSW homes sold privately, buyers generally have five business days of cooling-off after exchange, subject to waiver or variation. Sellers do not have an equivalent cooling-off period. Ask your adviser about the exact contract and any waiver or variation instead of calculating rights from a brief online summary. There is no buyer cooling-off at auction or where exchange occurs the same day after the property passes in. Off-the-plan rules are different and are not covered by this established-home summary. Cooling-off under an agency agreement is another separate issue: do not confuse your agreement with the agent and the buyer’s purchase contract. If someone proposes waiving or varying a right, your adviser should explain what the document does and the consequences for your transaction. This guide does not set out penalties or provide instructions for exercising or waiving legal rights. ## Between exchange and settlement [Canonical section]() Ask your adviser for the agreed milestones and who is responsible for each. Confirm lender discharge arrangements, settlement adjustments, outstanding conditions and any paperwork you must sign. Continue meeting your obligations under the contract; ask before making changes to the property or access arrangements. Plan removalists, utilities, insurance questions and accommodation using the actual settlement timetable, with a backup if timing changes. Ask how the buyer’s final inspection is arranged and what condition and inclusions must be maintained. Discuss any tenancy or possession arrangement explicitly. - Who confirms that conditions and documents are complete? - What lender payout and discharge steps remain? - How are rates, other adjustments and proceeds explained? - What is the plan if settlement is delayed? - Who authorises release of keys after completion? ## Settlement and handover [Canonical section]() Settlement is when the transaction completes and ownership and funds are dealt with through the agreed process. Your adviser and lender coordinate relevant steps. Do not assume settlement has completed merely because the scheduled day or time has arrived. Follow your adviser’s confirmation and the authorised key-release arrangements. Retain the final statement and ask about deductions or adjustments you do not understand. A planning budget is not the final settlement statement or tax calculation. The free Seller Pack can help you keep your questions and practical tasks organised. For your rights, tax position, finance or a dispute, use appropriately qualified local advisers. No guide can account for every contract or property situation. - [Check selling costs and planning-proceeds exclusions]() - [Return to the first-time NSW process]() ## Official sources - [NSW Government: contracts and deposits]() - [NSW Government: buying property at an auction]() - [NSW Government: steps to selling a property]() ## Related guides - [Selling a house in NSW: a first-time seller’s guide]() - [Auction vs private treaty in NSW: choosing how to sell]() - [Cost of selling a house in NSW: fees and budget checklist]()