At Ray White Craigieburn, we pride ourselves on our successful Auction Campaigns.
If you are intending to bid in an online Ray White Craigieburn Auction please find below the a summary of the laws that apply to public auctions of land in Victoria.
Please speak with the managing agent to ensure you have a clear understanding based on which auction rules pertain to the auction you are participating in.
Whilst we ensure that we update all applicable information in a timely manner, there may be times whereby the Sale of Land Act 1962 has been updated therefore we ask that you please reference the Sale of Land Act via the below link for the most up to date current legislation.
https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/sale-land-act-1962/165
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SCHEDULE 5
INFORMATION CONCERNING THE CONDUCT OF PUBLIC AUCTIONS OF LAND
Meaning of vendor
The vendor is the person who is selling the property that is being auctioned. There may be more than one vendor. Where there are two or more vendors, they are selling the property as co‑owners.
Bidding by co-owners
Where there are two or more vendors of the property, one or some or all of them may bid to purchase the property from their co-owners. The vendor or vendors intending to bid to purchase the property can make these bids themselves, or through a representative, but not through the auctioneer.
Vendor bids
The law of Victoria allows vendors to choose to have bids made for them by the auctioneer. If this is the case, it will be stated as the first rule applying to the auction. However, these bids cannot be made for a co-owner intending to bid to purchase the property from their co-owner or co-owners.
The auctioneer can only make a vendor bid if—
• the auctioneer declares before bidding starts that the auctioneer can make bids on behalf of a vendor, and states how these bids will be made; and
• the auctioneer states when making the bid that it is a bid for the vendors. The usual way for an auctioneer to indicate that the auctioneer is making a vendor bid is to say “vendor bid” in making the bid.
What rules and conditions apply to the auction?
Different rules apply to an auction depending upon whether there are any co-owners intending to bid to purchase the property from their co‑owners, and whether vendor bids can be made. The auctioneer must display the rules that apply at the auction.
It is possible that a vendor may choose to have additional conditions apply at the auction. This is only allowed if those additional conditions do not conflict with the rules that apply to the auction or any other legal requirement. The additional conditions are usually contained in the contract of sale.
Copies of the rulesSch. 5
The law requires that a copy of the rules and conditions that are to apply to a public auction of land be made available for public inspection a reasonable time before the auction starts and in any case not less than 30 minutes before the auction starts.
Questions
A person at a public auction of land may ask the auctioneer in good faith a reasonable number of questions about the property being sold, the contract of sale, the rules under which the auction is being conducted and the conduct of the auction.
Forbidden activities at auctions
The law forbids any of the following—
Who made the bid?Sch. 5
At any time during a public auction of land, a person at the auction may ask the auctioneer to indicate who made a bid. Once such a request has been made, the auctioneer is obliged by law to comply with such a request before taking another bid.
It is an offence to disrupt an auction
The law forbids an intending bidder or a person acting on behalf of an intending bidder from doing any thing with the intention of preventing or causing a major disruption to, or causing the cancellation of, a public auction of land.
The cooling off period does not apply to public auctions of land
If you purchase a property that has been offered for sale by public auction either at the auction or within 3 clear business days before or after the auction, there is no cooling off period.
What law applies
The information in this document is only intended as a brief summary of the law that applies to public auctions of land in Victoria. Most of the laws referred to in this document can be found in the Sale of Land Act 1962or the Sale of Land (Public Auctions) Regulations 2014. Copies of those laws can be found at the following web site: www.legislation.vic.gov.au under the title “Victorian Law Today”.
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SCHEDULE 1
GENERAL RULES FOR THE CONDUCT OF PUBLIC AUCTIONS OF LAND
1. The auctioneer may make one or more bids on behalf of the vendor of the land at any time during the auction.
2. The auctioneer may refuse any bid.
3. The auctioneer may determine the amount by which the bidding is to be advanced.
4. The auctioneer may withdraw the property from sale at any time.
5. The auctioneer may refer a bid to the vendor at any time before the conclusion of the auction.
6. In the event of a dispute concerning a bid, the auctioneer may re-submit the property for sale at the last undisputed bid or start the bidding again.
7. The auctioneer must not accept any bid or offer for a property that is made after the property has been knocked down to the successful bidder, unless the vendor or successful bidder at the auction refuses to sign the contract of sale following the auction.
8. If a reserve price has been set for the property and the property is passed in below that reserve price, the vendor will first negotiate with the highest bidder for the purchase of the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a vendor bid?
It is a bid made on behalf of the vendor (owner) not a buyer.
Who can make a vendor bid?
Only the Auctioneer.
Does the Auctioneer have to declare a vendor bid each time it is used?
Yes.
How many bids can a vendor make?
There is no restriction, but is generally limited to a maximum of 2 or 3 vendor bids.
What is a reserve price?
The price below which the vendor will not sell. This price may vary.
What does ‘passed in’ mean?
The bidding has not reached the vendor’s reserve price and the property is not sold.
If the property is ‘passed in’, who gets the first opportunity to
buy the property?
The highest bidder.
If the property is ‘passed in’ on a vendor bid, what happens then?
The vendor, via the vendor’s agent, is at liberty to negotiate with any genuine buyer.
Do I have to register prior to bidding at an Auction?
Not in Victoria.
What is a genuine bid?
All bids are genuine; there are vendor bids and buyer bids.
What is a buyer’s advocate?
A person who is commissioned to act on behalf of a buyer. (If you use one, make sure this person is a licensed estate agent and a member of the REIV).
Do I need to pay a 10% deposit if I buy today?
Yes. If the contract calls for 10%, or less if the vendor agrees to a lesser amount.
Must I sign the contract on the day of the Auction if I buy?
Yes. To buy on the day, you must sign a contract and pay a deposit.
Can I cool off if I buy under Auction conditions?
No. The law does not allow you to cool off if you buy under Auction conditions.
Good luck and happy bidding!