Making an offer on a house is not just a matter of agreeing on a price. Queensland’s contract process has a few practical steps worth understanding before you sign anything, and a legal change from August 2025 has shifted some of the groundwork onto the seller.
The contract only becomes binding once both parties sign
A contract of sale in Queensland is not binding until it has been signed by both the buyer and the seller. It sets out the purchase price, deposit timing and settlement date, and it is worth reading in full rather than skimming to the numbers.
The seller disclosure scheme changed in August 2025
Since 1 August 2025, sellers in Queensland must give buyers a completed Seller Disclosure Statement, along with a set of prescribed certificates, before the buyer signs the contract. This is required under the Property Law Act 2023. The disclosure statement covers things like title and encumbrances, zoning and planning information, whether the land is on an environmental or contaminated land register, building notices, pool safety and heritage listing. It does not require the seller to disclose structural soundness or flood history, so those still fall to the buyer to research separately.
If a seller does not comply, or the disclosure turns out to be inaccurate or incomplete, a buyer may have a right to terminate, but only where the issue is material, was not previously known to the buyer, and would have affected their decision to buy. This is not an automatic right to walk away over any error, so it is worth understanding what counts as material before assuming a problem gives you an exit.
Common conditions worth including
Contracts are often made conditional on things like finance approval or a satisfactory building and pest inspection. These conditions need to actually be written into the contract to have effect, so it is worth checking they are there in the specific form you need, rather than assuming they are standard.
Inspection timing
It is common practice to arrange a building and pest inspection before making an offer, or to make the offer conditional on a satisfactory result with a right to walk away. A pre-settlement inspection, typically two to three days before settlement, is also standard practice to confirm the property’s condition has not changed.
What to verify before you act
This is general information about the process, not advice on your specific contract or circumstances. Before signing, it is worth getting independent legal advice, particularly around what the seller disclosure statement does and does not cover for the specific property, and confirming your finance and inspection conditions are drafted the way you actually need them.
Sources
- Queensland Government, Contract of sale, Cooling-off period and Inspections pages, qld.gov.au
- Queensland Government, Seller disclosure scheme, qld.gov.au
This article is general information only and is not legal, financial or property advice. Rules can change and can depend on individual circumstances. Always confirm current requirements with a qualified conveyancer or solicitor before signing a contract.
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