Torrens, Community & Strata Title: What's the Difference?

Not every South Australian property is held in the same way.

A Torrens Title property will generally give you ownership of the land shown in your title, subject to any registered interests affecting it.

A Community Title property forms part of a community scheme. You own your lot and there may be common property shared between owners and a community corporation responsible for managing certain aspects of the Community Plan.

A Strata Title property forms part of a strata scheme. You own your unit, while certain areas of the property are common property shared between the unit owners and managed through the strata corporation.

If you are buying a Community or Strata Title property, you may need to:

• Pay corporation levies
• Comply with the applicable articles or by-laws
• Contribute towards shared expenses, maintenance and insurance
• Obtain approval before carrying out certain alterations or works
• Contribute towards special levies if significant expenses arise

Buying into a Community or Strata scheme isn't necessarily a concern, but it is important to understand what you are buying into, including the corporation's financial position, ongoing levies and any rules that may affect how you use the property.

Your conveyancer can help you review the relevant documents and explain what they mean for you in practical terms.

Have questions or need some advice? Contact us, we are always happy to assist!