Most buyers pick a conveyancer the same way they pick a tradesperson: whoever answers first, whoever quotes lowest. Business Money is an industry journal covering business finance and banking since 1993. The publication tested the habit against six hard questions, and Melissa Barlas answered every one.

A Six-Point Guide Tested Essendon Conveyancers, Melissa Barlas Cleared It

A licence alone tells a buyer little. Business Money pushed further, asking whether a conveyancer had handled a case like the one in front of them, whether the quote hid extra costs, and whether calls got returned the same day.

Melissa Barlas has worked in Victorian property law for close to a decade. Her answers to the six questions:

• Licensed with the Legal Services Board or the Australian Institute of Conveyancers
• Experience with cases matching the buyer’s situation in scale and complexity
• One quote listing fees, disbursements, and GST, with nothing added later
• Replies on the day a question comes in, not three days later
• Working knowledge of Victorian title rules and local council quirks
• Reviews a buyer can check on Google, Facebook, and Trustpilot before committing

Why the Questions Matter More Than the Quote

A missed deadline or an unchecked title clause costs far more than a conveyancer’s fee ever will. Buyers who skip the six questions find out the hard way, close to settlement, when changing course gets expensive.

Melissa Barlas built her practice on the calls other firms dread. Short settlements, auction day emergencies, and contracts with a clock running out are her daily work. Buyers in Essendon planning a purchase can run through the six questions before signing anyone. The answers matter more than the price on the quote.