Conveyancing in Malaysia is a relatively sedate exercise. There’s no drama attached. Well, the lawyer always hopes there isn’t. Sometimes there is a little bit of angst here and there but by and large they are not the sort of matters justifying a stiff drink by noon. I think most conveyancing end with barely a whimper. The seller’s lawyer receives a cheque from the buyer or its bank and that was that. All other details like utilities bills and handling over of keys, etc – they are all relatively minor steps which parties eventually get around to. I think (I have not done a piece of conveyancing for quite a few years, even when I was in Malaysia.).

The bigger action is with the presentation of the title documents in the land office. The drama is there. It’s almost like an episode in Who Wants to be a Millionaire. The bloke at the counter of the land office is like Eddie McGuire (the host of the Aussie version). Minus the suave suit, striking face and smart rapid deliveries of course. In fact the person is usually a drab ugly person who draws his or her sole satisfaction in life from rejecting a presentation. Then all hell breaks loose in the lawyer’s office. Thankfully this is rare as like I said, the presentation of title documents is like the climax of old folks making love so the lawyer spares no effort to make sure it slides in without any hitch. (The title documents, you idiot). When it does, it’s like Eddie says “correct” and you win a million bucks.

Here in Victoria, the drama is with the Settlement. They do everything here in this event. It’s like the summit, the mother of all meetings. Representatives of all parties convene in a place somewhere in the city. Each party carries a truckload of documents. (In my case, our representative is carrying a truckload of cheques – our vendors’ conveyancers made us issue 9). Admittedly, this is probably only the 5th or 6th settlement I have done so I am still a bit raw and therefore, nervous. Especially also seeing that our move dates are at stake. Anyway, all parties with all relevant documents converge in a little room somewhere in the city, check everything off, then calls headquarters to hopefully say, “There has been NO problems”.

I hope sometime after 2pm today, I will get such a call, to tell me the settlement has gone through.