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ew seller disclosure laws in Queensland are causing a housing market slowdown, with delays in documentation creating a "bottleneck" in contracts. Real estate agents say the regime, which came into effect on August 1, is designed to increase transparency and protect buyers but has caused anxiety and frustration instead. Sellers must provide a comprehensive disclosure statement before signing a contract, including information about land contamination, zoning, heritage listings, and rates and water charges.

    Brisbane agent Brett Andreassen said the legislation has had an immediate impact on the market, freezing sales and causing delays of up to 10 days in getting required documentation. "It's stopping the ability to do contracts... because the entire process is bottlenecked," he said. Agents are experiencing lengthy delays in obtaining paperwork from relevant agencies and departments.

    The new laws will allow buyers to cancel a sale if certain information is not given to them by the seller, which has caused concern among agents. Antonia Mercorella from the Real Estate Institute of Queensland said sales had slowed, particularly for units and apartments. "What we're seeing playing out now is what we feared... it can take time to obtain the necessary information," she said.

    Fellow Brisbane agent Gabrielle Trickey described the additional requirements as impractical and complex, saying they were causing a nightmare for agents and buyers. The reforms enable buyers to terminate a contract up until settlement if required disclosure documents are not provided or contain insufficient details. Agents are "freaked out" by this potential, with Ms Mercorella saying sellers and agents are "right to be nervous".