Overview of the Hornsby property market
Hornsby is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney. It has seen a massive transformation over recent years, with a large number of development projects, including the well known Westfield precinct.
In March 2025, Realestate.com.au reported the median house price in Hornsby to be $1.78m, with 92 houses being sold in Hornsby over the preceding 12 months. Units in Hornsby had an average price of $717,000 over the same period.
The property market in Hornsby is fast paced, and often highly competitive, and it is incredibly helpful to have a local Hornsby conveyancer lawyer to help you gain an edge.
Why choose a local conveyancer in Hornsby?
Our Hornsby office, which was previously the offices of Miller Noyce Lawyers, has been serving the Hornsby community for over 100 years. Through that time, our expert lawyers and conveyancers have seen the area change and develop into the bustling hub it is today.
Hornsby and its surrounding suburbs including Thornleigh, Wahroonga, and St Ives have many beautiful homes with unique characteristics.
Hornsby and its surrounding areas have lots of green leafy areas, being close by to many parklands. This means that there are environmental land overlays and bushfire hazards. There are also large sections which have in recent years undergone significant redevelopment, much of which continues. This means that there are changes happening to zoning and subdivision of land parcels. These are only a few examples, however they all carry their own unique risks and legal complexities, and it is important that you have a solicitor who can guide you through the nuances of Hornsby property law.
Working with a local Hornsby law firm means you will be better equipped to deal with these nuances that are common found in Hornsby conveyancing transactions.
What is unique about property law in Hornsby?
Conveyancing in Hornsby is rarely ‘standard’. There are many distinctive characteristics in the area. These include:
Heritage listings – there are several heritage listed homes which add to the charm of the local area, but which can cause problems when trying to redevelop property in the area.
Strata and community title – there are many strata schemes, some of which form part of larger community associations. It’s important to get a thorough understanding of the by-laws or community management statements to ensure you can use your unit the way you intend to.
Environmental overlays which may affect the way your land can be used, due to proximity to several National Parks.
Bushfire prone land classifications.
Development and planning controls due to large subdivisions and redevelopments.
Mixed use buildings containing both residential and commercial components. This brings its own complexity when it comes to management of the building.
A property lawyer who is experienced in Hornsby conveyancing should be able to help you to navigate these issues.
The Hornsby conveyancing process – An overview for Hornsby property buyers
Contract review – we review your property purchase contract and provide you with provide comprehensive advice to ensure that you are aware of any risks.
Negotiations – we will negotiate any amendments to the contract that might be necessary to protect your interests on the purchase.
Pre-settlement checks – Local authority enquiries, requisitions on title, and settlement adjustments are conducted to ensure that the property is not negatively impacted by anything, and to ensure that you only pay rates and taxes from the date you complete your purchase.
Settlement – we oversee financial and legal settlement of the conveyancing transaction to ensure that the property title is transferred into your name and all relevant authorities are notified of the change of ownership. For strata properties, this will include notifying the Owners Corporation of the change of ownership of your lot.
Selling property in Hornsby – An overview of the Hornsby property sale process
Step 1 - Contract preparation – We tailor contract conditions to your individual circumstances and the unique characteristics of the property you are selling. To compile a legally binding contract, we order all of the necessary searches to meet your statutory disclosure obligations.
Step 2 - Contract Negotiation – we act on your behalf to negotiate with the solicitors or conveyancers engaged by any prospective buyers. Often they will request changes to the contract which may be beneficial to them, but might be disadvantageous to you. We provide advice to you on their requests and look after your interests in the process.
Step 3 - Pre-settlement procedures – Once contracts are signed and locked in, we liaise with the purchasers and their conveyancers in anticipation of settlement. This will include tasks like checking outstanding rate balances and making adjustments with the purchaser, answering any requisitions on title that might be raised by the purchasers or their solicitors, and making settlement arrangements including preparing the necessary paperwork, and liaising with any discharging mortgagee.
Step 4 - Settlement – we arrange financial and legal settlement of your property sale. This includes arranging payment of the sale proceeds to you and paying out any mortgage on title, as well as any outstanding rates or land tax.
Why our Hornsby law firm is the best choice for your conveyancing
As expert Hornsby property lawyers, we proudly offer our clients:
Fast turnaround on contract reviews and advice.
Thorough and detailed advice.
Expert contract negotiations.
Fixed fee pricing.
Clear communication, and commercially practical advice, to make things as simple as possible.
A friendly and local team that has a keen understanding of the property market in Hornsby.
Speak to a Hornsby Conveyancer
Our Hornsby office is located conveniently Hunter Street, just a short stroll away from Westfield and Hornsby Train Station. Our Law Society Accredited Specialist property lawyers and conveyancers can see you in our Hornsby office, or can conduct their conveyancing work for Hornsby, Thornleigh, Wahroonga, or St Ives electronically. Our firm has a history of providing conveyancing services and legal advice in the Hornsby area which dates back to 1924. We know the area well, and there isn’t much we haven’t seen or done before. We’d love to hear from you.
Give us a call or submit an enquiry to speak to a local Hornsby conveyancing lawyer today.
