Chua Tan Associates is a Melbourne law firm acting on property transactions across Victoria since 1990. Our property team is led by Tan Chua, who has more than thirty years of experience in Victorian property law. We handle straightforward purchases and sales, but we are best known for the matters that are not straightforward: overseas buyers, deceased estates, transfers after separation, family transfers, private lending and off-the-plan disputes. We work in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
We act only on property located in Victoria. Our clients can live anywhere in Australia or overseas.
Conveyancing for buyers and sellers in Melbourne
Whether you are buying a family home in Glen Waverley or Balwyn, an apartment in Southbank or Box Hill, a townhouse in Doncaster or a new house and land package in Point Cook, we review the contract and Section 32 vendor statement before you sign, explain the risks in plain language, and manage the matter through to settlement on PEXA.
- Contract and Section 32 review before you sign or bid at auction
- Cooling-off, special conditions and finance clauses
- Stamp duty, first home buyer exemptions and concessions
- Off-the-plan purchases, sunset clauses and settlement disputes
- Sales: contract preparation, vendor statements and settlement
Complex property matters we handle
Overseas and foreign buyers
Whether FIRB approval is needed, Victoria’s foreign purchaser additional duty, the absentee owner land tax surcharge, foreign resident capital gains withholding and clearance certificates, and signing contracts and powers of attorney from overseas. Our firm includes a notary public.
Read more: Overseas buyers and sellers of Victorian property
Deceased estates
Survivorship applications when a joint tenant dies, transmission applications after probate, and sales or transfers by executors, including executors who live overseas.
Read more: Selling or transferring a deceased person’s property
Transfers after separation
Transferring Victorian property under family law orders or financial agreements, checking whether a stamp duty exemption may apply, and coordinating the refinance that releases one party from the loan.
Read more: Transferring Victorian property after separation or divorce
Family and related-party transfers
Parents helping children buy, documenting family money as a loan or a gift, and transfers into or out of a company or family trust, where duty and land tax traps are common.
Read more: Parents helping children buy: loan or gift?
Private lending and second mortgages
Mortgage, caveat and guarantee documents for private lenders, and independent legal advice for borrowers and guarantors. We work alongside mortgage brokers on bridging and second-mortgage transactions.
Read more: Private lending, bridging finance and second mortgages
Development-adjacent deals
Heads of agreement, option and put and call option deeds, sales of subdivided lots and joint purchases between family members or business partners.
Read more: Heads of agreement, options and joint purchases
Developing property in Victoria
Victoria’s planning reforms have made dual occupancies, townhouses and small developments more common, including families building on a parent’s land. Before any work starts, the people involved need to agree who owns what, who pays for what, and what happens if someone wants out.
- Joint venture and development agreements between family members, friends or investors
- Subdivision and dual occupancy transactions
- Off-the-plan sales contracts and disclosure for small developers
- Finance and security documents for development
- Holding structures, and how vacant land taxes may affect land held for development
Read more: Property development lawyers in Victoria
Occupying property: your home or your business premises
Owning or leasing property brings ongoing obligations, especially for business owners and for owners who live overseas.
- Commercial and retail leases for restaurants, clinics, childcare centres, pharmacies and other businesses
- Buying or selling a business together with its lease or freehold
- Owners corporation rules, including short-stay restrictions
- Land tax and absentee owner obligations for owners who live overseas
- Reviews of how your family holds its Victorian property, and planning for the next generation
Read more: Commercial and retail lease lawyers
Who we act for
- Families from mainland China buying for themselves or for children studying in Australia
- Families from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and elsewhere in South-East Asia who already hold Melbourne property
- Families from Hong Kong and Taiwan, including recent migrants
- Australian-raised Chinese families buying, building and running businesses, often with parents overseas
- Private lenders, mortgage brokers and borrowers needing loan and security documents
Why clients choose Chua Tan Associates
More than three decades of Victorian property law. Tan Chua has practised property law for over thirty years, through many cycles of the Melbourne market and many changes to duty, land tax and foreign buyer rules. That experience shows where a transaction can go wrong before the contract is signed, when problems are still cheap to fix.
Good advice saves more than it costs. The wrong ownership structure can mean extra duty or land tax. A missed approval can delay or derail settlement. A poorly documented family arrangement can lead to disputes years later. Our value is helping you avoid those costs.
- Family firm practising in Melbourne since 1990, with two generations of lawyers
- Extensive experience with clients from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and across South-East Asia
- One firm for property, Wills and estates, family law and immigration
- 中文、普通話和廣東話
- A notary public in the firm for documents signed overseas
- Offices at Level 2, 262 Queen Street, Melbourne; meetings in person or by video
What our clients say
“Our family has been dealing with the team for 10 years, regarding immigration, business, and property. Very professional experience, and response our request in timely matter.”
Thomas Tang, Google review
“I’ve had a very positive experience with Chua Tan Associates, they’ve been absolutely professional and prompt in dealing with my case. I’d like to thank Mr Kin Chua, Mr Justin Chua and Chua Tan associates for their assistance in ensuring the best outcome and providing consistent updates.”
Howard Diep, Google review
Rated 4.9 from more than 200 Google reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Do you act on property outside Victoria?
No. We act only on property located in Victoria. Our clients may live anywhere.
Can I buy or sell Melbourne property without being in Australia?
In many cases, yes. Contracts can often be signed electronically, and other documents can be signed overseas before a notary or at an Australian embassy. The right method depends on the document and the country.
Can I buy property in Victoria if I am not an Australian citizen or permanent resident?
Possibly. Foreign persons, including temporary residents, generally cannot buy established homes until at least 30 June 2029, but new homes, off-the-plan apartments and vacant land may still be possible with approval. It depends on your visa and the property. Get advice before you sign anything.
Does it matter whose name the property is in?
Yes. The owner’s name or structure can affect duty, land tax, a future sale and estate planning, especially where family members or trust beneficiaries live overseas.
Should I use a lawyer or a conveyancer?
A conveyancer can handle a routine transfer. A lawyer can also advise on the legal issues around it, such as family law orders, estates, trusts, foreign buyer rules, disputes and lending. If your matter has any of these elements, a property lawyer is usually the safer choice.
When should I contact you?
Before you sign or bid. Most expensive mistakes in property transactions happen before the contract is signed.
預約諮詢
Every property matter turns on its own facts. Book a paid initial consultation with our Melbourne property lawyers. We will review your situation and documents, explain your options, and quote for the work once we understand the matter.
Chua Tan Associates (蔡庆伟律师事务所)
墨爾本維多利亞州皇后街262號，墨爾本 3000
+61 3 9602 3988 | chuatan@tpg.com.au
This page is general information only, not legal advice. Do not rely on it for your own matter. Laws, taxes and approval rules change. Obtain advice on your circumstances before acting.
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