NSW Buyer Tools
Making an offer on a property, whether it's a house or an apartment, comes down to the right price, the right conditions, and putting it in writing to the agent. Tell us where you're up to and we'll take you to the right next step, including a free letter of offer in about two minutes.
Where are you up to?
Offer price, deposit (10% or 5%) and settlement date
Conditions: subject to finance, building & pest, and a strata report for an apartment or townhouse
Cooling-off: keep the standard 5 business days, or waive it with a s66W certificate
Ready to copy and send to the agent: free, no sign-up
Start
General information only — not legal advice.
1
Look at recent sales of similar homes in the same street or suburb, not just the asking price. Ask the agent for the price guide and what other buyers have offered. Your offer should be one you can justify with comparable sales.
2
In NSW the vendor must have the Contract of Sale ready before the property is marketed. Get a copy, plus the strata report for a unit or townhouse and a building and pest inspection. Defects, special levies or unusual special conditions are all reasons to adjust your price or add conditions.
3
Settle on your price, deposit (usually 10% of the price, though 5% is often accepted), settlement period (commonly six weeks), and any conditions such as subject to finance or a satisfactory building and pest report. Decide whether you need the 5-business-day cooling-off period.
4
A verbal offer is easy to forget or misreport. A short written letter of offer with your price, deposit, settlement, conditions, how long the offer is open and your solicitor or conveyancer's details shows the vendor you are serious and organised.
5
The agent takes your offer to the vendor, who may accept, reject or counter. Nothing is binding until contracts are exchanged. After exchange you normally have a 5-business-day cooling-off period; if you pull out during it you forfeit 0.25% of the purchase price.
No. A letter of offer is not binding on you or the vendor. The sale only becomes binding when contracts are exchanged, and for most residential sales a 5-business-day cooling-off period applies after that.
The property address, your offer price, the deposit you will pay, your preferred settlement period, any conditions (finance, building and pest, and a strata report for an apartment or townhouse), whether you want the cooling-off period, how long the offer stays open, and your solicitor or conveyancer's contact details.
Waiving cooling-off can make an offer more attractive to a vendor, but you lose the right to change your mind after exchange. In NSW it is waived with a section 66W certificate from your solicitor or conveyancer. Only do it once your finance is approved and you have reviewed the contract and reports.
There is no fixed rule. Base your offer on recent comparable sales, how long the property has been on the market, and anything the contract or inspection reports reveal. A defect or a special levy is a concrete reason the agent can take back to the vendor.
Not necessarily, but pre-approval tells you your limit and makes your offer more credible. If your loan isn't formally approved, make the offer subject to finance.
General information only, not legal advice. Talk to your solicitor or conveyancer before you exchange contracts.
Important disclosures
RealtyOffer is an independent tool for NSW home buyers. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to realestate.com.au, any listing agency, or any real estate agent. Property details come from the documents and information you provide.
AI-generated content: The contract analysis and email draft on this page are produced by an AI model and are provided for general informational purposes only. They do not constitute legal advice, financial advice, or a professional conveyancing opinion. You should obtain independent legal advice from a licensed NSW conveyancer or solicitor before signing any contract or making any financial decision.
Advertising disclosure: This page may have been reached via a Google Ads campaign. RealtyOffer is the advertiser. No referral fees or commissions are received from agents, vendors, or any third party in connection with this service. We use Google Ads conversion tracking (cookies) to measure whether our ads lead to people using this tool — only the type of step completed is sent to Google, never your documents, address or offer details.
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