I used to think those two terms (solicitor and conveyancer) mean the same, but they really are quite different. The difference is in what those lawyers can and can not do and even in what they charge you for their services.

Every time a property changes hands the process is called conveyancing. The transfer from one owner to another has to be done in a certain legal way, you can do it yourself or with help of either solicitor or conveyancer.

If you do the transfer yourself, all you need is a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) conveyancing kit. You can purchase one online via several websites, such as diyconveyancingkits.com.au or legalkits.com.au .

If you decide to get a lawyer, who do you get, solicitor or conveyancer? Basically, the difference is that conveyancer can only give you legal advice about the property, whereas solicitor can advise you about the property and many other legal matters, such as tax matters, inheritance, etc. Australian institute of conveyancing explains the difference between solicitors and conveyancers really well on this page.

In the terms of money they charge for their services, conveyancers are cheaper ($500 - $1000) and solicitors are dearer ($500 – $1500). And, of course, the cheapest option available is DIY conveyancing, really – about 90$ for a kit.

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