Buyers Beware Of Unregistered Risks When Purchasing Land

Published on 11 May 2015

Buyers need to be wary of the risks involved in purchasing land that has not been subdivided or registered, said Hills Shire Mayor Clr Andrew Jefferies.

Mayor Jefferies said it was now common for most new residential lots in The Hills Shire to be sold before the lot even existed, which was a reflection of the desperation in the real estate market.

“The Hills is one of the most desirable places to live in Sydney and people are doing everything they can to secure their own little piece of our Shire,” Mayor Jefferies said.

“The demand for housing has led to a situation where people are buying land that hasn’t been registered and in some cases, hasn’t even had a development application lodged for its subdivision.”

“These buyers run a very real risk that the land they put a deposit on may change by the time it is registered - but it’s also an example of how desperate people are to break into the property market.”

“In some cases, people have put a deposit on land only for them to end up with nothing.”

“I’m not telling people not to buy land that isn’t registered, but they need to understand that there are some very serious risks involved if they do and they must carefully carry out their due diligence.”

Mayor Jefferies said it was frustrating to see that there had been instances where developers blamed Council for delays.

“Our staff have had buyers coming into our Administration Building in tears demanding to know why Council is delaying the registration, when in actual fact it’s the developer who is holding up the process.”

“I strongly advise anyone looking to buy land in The Hills or anywhere in Sydney to do their due diligence, find out the potential opportunities and obstacles and decide whether it’s worth the risk.”