If you’ve just been handed a contract and Section 32 for a Victorian property, one of the first practical questions is what it costs to have someone look at it before you sign. The answer runs from free to over $2,000, and the differences between those price points are real. This guide covers the current market rates, what each tier of review actually includes, and how to choose based on your timeline and the complexity of the purchase.
The four tiers of Section 32 review
| Option | Typical cost (2026) | Turnaround | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Free” conveyancer review | $0 upfront | 24–48 hours | Brief review, offered in the expectation you engage the firm for conveyancing (commonly $800–$2,500) |
| Fixed-fee standalone review | $150–$400 | 1–3 business days | A conveyancer reads the contract and Section 32 and gives written or phone advice, no strings |
| Solicitor pre-purchase review | $300–$500 (complex work more) | 2–5 business days | Detailed legal advice, special-condition negotiation, formal opinion you can rely on |
| Instant AI-assisted check | $19–$50 | Minutes | Automated scan flagging red flags, missing documents and questions to raise. Not legal advice |
What “free” reviews actually are
Several Victorian conveyancing firms advertise free contract and Section 32 reviews, and the offer is real: a qualified person does look at your documents. But the free review exists to win your conveyancing business. The review itself tends to be brief, the written output limited, and the follow-up call is usually a quote. None of that makes it a bad deal. If you were going to engage a conveyancer anyway, a free review is a reasonable way to trial the firm before committing $800 or more to them. It just isn’t an independent opinion, and you shouldn’t expect the same depth a paying client gets.
Turnaround varies more than you might expect. Advertised times range from a few business hours to 24–48 hours, and some Victorian firms offer same-day turnaround for auction properties, so check what a given firm actually commits to rather than assuming it will be slow.
What a paid professional review includes
A standalone fixed-fee review, typically $150–$400 in 2026 depending on the page count, buys a licensed conveyancer’s reading of the title, encumbrances, planning controls, special conditions and Section 32 disclosures, usually delivered as a phone call or a short written summary. For a straightforward established-home purchase this is the sweet spot. You get professional judgment at a modest cost with no obligation to engage the firm further.
A full solicitor review is a different product. Victorian firms commonly advertise a written contract and Section 32 review by a solicitor from around $300–$500, often credited back if you engage them for the conveyancing; genuinely complex matters billed hourly run well beyond that. You get formal legal advice you can rely on, negotiation of special conditions with the vendor’s side, and advice tailored to your circumstances. If the purchase involves a trust or SMSF, an off-the-plan contract, a commercial element, a Section 173 Agreement, unusual easements or a litigation history, the higher fee is earned. Don’t try to save money on a purchase that complicated.
Where instant AI checks fit
AI-assisted document checks are the newest tier. This site charges $19; competitors price between about $19 and $50. What they offer is speed and triage: the full document set is read in minutes, and you get a structured report of missing documents, red-flag clauses, checkbox declarations such as bushfire-prone-area status, and questions worth putting to a conveyancer. What they don’t offer is legal advice. An automated check can’t negotiate for you, can’t weigh what a defect means for your situation, and shouldn’t be the only review you rely on before signing an unconditional contract.
Two situations where the instant check earns its fee. First, when you need to decide tonight whether a property is worth pursuing at all, which is the normal state of affairs on auction timelines. Second, as preparation before a professional review: if you walk into the solicitor meeting already knowing the OC certificate is missing and the land is in a bushfire-prone area, the paid hour goes a lot further.
What vendors pay (the other side)
For context, the vendor paid to have the Section 32 you’re reading prepared. Typical cost is $200–$1,500 depending on who prepared it and how many certificates were ordered. A thin, cheaply prepared Section 32 tells you something in itself: if the vendor skipped optional certificates, more of the verification work lands on you.
How to choose
- Long timeline, simple purchase: a fixed-fee standalone review. Or a free one, if you don’t mind the conveyancing pitch that comes with it.
- Auction this week: an instant check now, then the fastest professional review you can book if you’re serious. There is no cooling-off at auction, so the pre-auction review is the only one that counts.
- Complex purchase (off-the-plan, trust or SMSF, Section 173, commercial element): straight to a solicitor.
- Several candidate properties: instant checks to shortlist, professional review on the one you’ll actually bid on. Buyers who pay $500 a property for five properties tend to skip the review on the sixth, which is how expensive mistakes happen.
This article is general information about the Victorian market, not legal advice, and prices move — confirm current fees directly with any firm you are considering.
Whatever tier you land on, the sequencing matters more than the price. Victoria’s cooling-off period is three clearbusiness days (the day you sign isn’t counted), and it is narrower than most buyers assume: it does not apply at auction, and it does not apply at all if the buyer is a company or an estate agent, or to industrial or commercial land, or to farming land over 20 hectares. Using it is not free either — the vendor may keep $100 or 0.2% of the purchase price, whichever is greater, which is about $1,800 on a $900,000 purchase. Add the fact that rescission rights for defective disclosure are also limited, and the conclusion is the same: get the review done before you sign anything.