Buying and Selling Property in a Body Corporate

Buying a Strata Property

There are many advantages to buying into a strata property. The trend to live close to the city and enjoy a more social lifestyle has increased the attractiveness of strata property living. Strata properties are typically in metropolitan suburbs with close proximity to amenities such as shops, popular suburbs, shopping centres, and the city centre.

Some advantages of living in a body corporate are:

• the ease of lifestyle where gardens and grounds are maintained for you,
• shared facilities, like a gym or pool, 
• accommodation is more affordable and secure,
• there is close proximity to shops, restaurants, public transport and the city, and
• there is close proximity to neighbours for social interaction and networking.

As living in a strata property involves a close-knit community, you might like to consider some of these points:

• Is there sufficient car parking?
• Does the property have many or substantial maintenance issues?
• What are the rules on pets?
• Is the property suitable for children?
• Would you live in the unit?
• Will the kind of renter you want to attract want to live in the unit?

Strata Property Purchase Documents and Terms

Queensland body corporate terminology may differ from other states. Body Corporate Managers manage the common property of the Community Titles Scheme with the help of a Committee.

When buying and selling property, the vendor disclosure document for the Body Corporate is the Section 206 Body Corporate Disclosure Statement and Section 205 Body Corporate Information Certificate.

The documents listed below can help you decide which strata property to purchase and help you understand more about the property and its issues. Some documents are mandatory for a vendor to disclose while others may need to be purchased at the potential buyer's own expense.

• Body Corporate information Certificate
• Minutes of Annual General Meeting for body corporate
• Body Corporate By-laws
• Community Titles Scheme
• Certificate of Currency (insurance)

• Sale of Contract
• Certificate of Occupancy
• Land Transfer
• Certificate of Title

• Pest Inspection
• Property Valuation
• Property Inspection
• Energy Rating

For further advice and to discuss these documents, please consult your:

• Real estate agent
• Lawyer / solicitor
• State fair trading office
• Body Corporate Manager or committee member
• Property inspector, architect, building engineer and surveyors
• Accountant/ Mortgage Broker/ Financial Institution representative

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PROPERTY

Before selecting a property buyers should consider the answers to a range of questions including:

• Is the property for investment purposes or for owner occupation?
• Is the property located in close proximity to infrastructure and local amenities, such as schools, shopping facilities and employment opportunities?
• What type of property do you need: a house, unit/apartment or townhouse?

The answer to these questions and many more can help you avoid costly mistakes when buying real estate and is the first step to finding the home or investment property that is right for you.

Seeking the right advice:

Seeking advice from qualified professionals with local knowledge and experience can take the headache out of buying property. Experienced and certified real estate professionals such as buyer’s advocates can help simplify the process of buying or selling property, providing you with the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions.

A buyer’s advocate can help you avoid the pitfalls associated with buying property such as off-the-plan purchasing, overpaying on private sale and auction properties, investing in properties with restrictive covenants and identifying significant Owner’s Corporation fees in order to ensure that you make the right decisions.

There are a number of reputable Buyer’s Advocate firms around Australia such as WBP Property Group, which also offer property valuation and tax depreciation schedules as part of their services.