Quick Answer
A title search for property investors in WA reveals ownership, encumbrances, caveats and restrictions that directly affect investment viability. Order a Current Title search for every prospective purchase, check for mining interests, survey-strata obligations and green title specifics, and request plans or dealings when the register references them.
What a WA Title Search Reveals for Investors
The register entry for any WA property records the current owner, the estate type (freehold or leasehold), registered encumbrances and any notifications. For investors, this information answers the core due diligence questions: who owns the property, what limits their rights, and what third-party interests affect the land.
Property title documents Western Australia searches will show mortgages, covenants, easements, caveats and profit à prendre. Each entry has a registered number that lets you order the underlying instrument or plan for detail the title alone cannot provide.
WA-Specific Title Risks Investors Must Check
Green Title
WA green title indicates freehold without shared common property — often seen as straightforward. However, green title lots can still carry easements, restrictive covenants and old profit à prendre entries. Check whether the green title lot is subject to a sewer easement or drainage reserve; these restrict where you can build and whether subdivision is possible.
Survey-Strata
Survey-strata titles divide land into lots with common property on a plan. Unlike building strata, there may be no strata company, but by-laws and common property obligations still apply. Investors must order the survey-strata plan to see lot boundaries, common property areas and any restrictive covenants on the plan. If the survey-strata has a strata company, request recent meeting minutes and financials separately.
Mining Interests
Western Australia's mining legislation creates significant risk for property investors. Mining leases, prospecting licences and miscellaneous licences can coexist with freehold title. The register may reference mining interests under separate tenement systems, and in some cases, holders of mining rights can access private land. For any property near known resource areas, order a search of relevant mining tenements alongside the title search to understand surface access risk.
Caveats
A caveat on a WA title prevents certain dealings until the caveat is withdrawn or lapses. For investors, caveats signal unresolved claims — often from unregistered mortgagees, equitable interest holders or parties with a contractual right to register. Check the caveat type and the interest claimed. A caveat does not always prevent a transaction, but it must be dealt with before settlement.
Rural Titles
Rural and regional WA titles frequently carry old-format restrictions, water licences referenced on title, and easements for stock routes, power lines or pipelines. These titles may also reference large Crown leases converted to freehold with retained conditions. Order any referenced plans and instruments early; rural titles often need additional dealing searches to clarify the full picture.
Which Documents Answer Which Questions
| Question | Document to Order |
|---|---|
| Who is the registered owner? | Current Title search |
| What easements exist? | Title search + referenced plan |
| What does a caveat claim? | Caveat instrument (dealing) |
| What are the strata by-laws? | Strata plan and by-laws schedule |
| Does a mining tenement overlap? | Mining tenement search (separate) |
| What does a restrictive covenant say? | Covenant instrument (dealing) |
When to Order Plans, Dealings and Instruments
The title search is your starting point. When the register references a plan number, dealing number or instrument number, order those documents for the full detail. Timing matters:
- Before making an offer: Order the Current Title search ($74.50 AUD through TitleFinder) to confirm ownership, encumbrances and caveats. This is your baseline property investor due diligence.
- During the due diligence period: Order referenced plans, dealings and instruments. These reveal the substance behind register notations — covenant wording, easement dimensions, strata lot boundaries.
- Before settlement: Re-order or refresh the title search to check for new caveats, mortgages or changes registered between contract and settlement.
Property Investor Due Diligence Checklist
- Order a Current Title search to confirm registered owner and estate type
- Check for green title — verify no hidden easements or covenants
- Identify survey-strata lots — order the survey-strata plan for boundaries and common property
- Review all encumbrances — mortgages, easements, covenants, profit à prendre
- Examine any caveats — understand the claim and whether it can be resolved before settlement
- Assess mining interest risk — order mining tenement searches for properties near resource areas
- Order referenced plans and dealings — covenant text, easement diagrams, strata by-laws
- For rural titles, check for retained Crown conditions and water-related references
- Re-check the title immediately before settlement for new registrations
- Keep records of all searches for future reference and resale disclosure
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a green title always better than a strata title for investors?
Not necessarily. Green title means no shared common property, which can reduce ongoing costs. However, green title lots can still have significant easements and restrictive covenants. Strata and survey-strata titles carry common property obligations but often provide clearer shared-cost frameworks. The register content matters more than the title type alone.
Can I invest in a property that has a mining lease over it?
Yes, but understand the risk. Mining leaseholders in WA may have rights to access and disturb the surface, depending on the tenement type and conditions. A title search for property investors in WA should be paired with a mining tenement search in resource-adjacent areas to evaluate surface access and operational risk.
How quickly can I get a WA title search through TitleFinder?
Orders placed through TitleFinder for a Current Title / State Lease search are $74.50 AUD and are typically processed within the same business day. If referenced dealings or plans are needed, order those alongside or immediately after receiving the title to avoid delays in your due diligence timeline.
Order the right TitleFinder document
Use this guide as a reference, then order the actual record that answers your question:
- WA Title Search — $79.90
- WA Survey Search — $85.90
- WA Document Search — $91.80
If you are unsure, start with the current title search, then add the plan or instrument if the title points to one.
Need the title search? Use the TitleFinder product links above to order the current title, plan, instrument or state-specific property record you actually need.
