Ang Kalatas Volume IV April 2014 Issue | Page 18

18 THE MESSAGE. BRINGING INTO FOCUS FILIPINO PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA www.kalatas.com.au | Volume 4 Number 7 | April 2014 PROPERTY MARKET Affordable Cottage Homes at Renwick tle and rear lane access available to some lots. Ranging from two to four bedrooms, the cottages are designed to complement the Southern Highlands environment and appeal to market entry buyers and also home owners wanting to sell their ageing houses and move to a smaller property requiring less time-consuming maintenance. “These beautiful, modern cottages at Renwick are on easy-to- Is Gazumping Legal? W hen the market is actively busy, occurrence of gazumping is not uncommon. Gazumping occurs when you have a verbal agreement with an agent or seller to buy a property at an agreed price but the property is not sold to you in the end. Instead the vendor (the person selling the property) has decided to sell the property to someone else, usually for a higher amount. In NSW, a property sale is generally only binding on the vendor and buyer when contracts are exchanged between the two parties. Exchange of contracts only occurs when the vendor signs their copy of the sale contract; the purchaser signs their copy, and the two parties ‘exchange’ their signed contracts through the agent or legal representative. It is usual at this time for the purchaser to pay a deposit, from 0.25% to 10% of the purchase price. If you are gazumped, neither the agent nor the vendor is obliged to compensate you for any money you may have spent on legal advice, inspection reports, finance application costs or inquiries. However, your ‘expression of interest’ payment or deposit (if you have paid one) must be refunded to you in full. Thus, gazumping, though an unpleasant experience for the purchaser, is not really illegal. Be aware that the vendor is not generally compelled to sell to any specific person and can change their mind at any time prior to the exchange of contracts. Ven- manage lots, surrounded by walkways, open spaces and mountain views and close to the heart of Mittagong, so they offer affordable country living and should attract strong appeal from buyers,” said general manager for corporate marketing Robert Sullivan. “These cottage homes represent another exciting phase in the development of Renwick as a thriving community that meets the demands of a wide cross-section of the market,” Mr Sullivan said. Customers can visit the Hotondo Homes, Allworth Homes and GJ Gardner display homes on site. For more information, visit the Renwick Sales Centre, located on Renwick Drive, Mittagong, open Friday to Monday from 10am to 5pm or visit www.landcom.com. au/renwick. Renwick is a 600-lot residential development in the NSW Southern Highlands 130km from Sydney. The fully serviced development offers wide, tree-lined streets and underground gas and electric wires. Seven display homes are open for viewing. When completed, it will feature a village centre and walking and cycling paths, with a third of the 115-hectare site retained as open space and parks. REAL ESTATE MADE EASY DOM MELLA [email protected] dor may not necessarily sell to the purchaser with the highest offe "