Conveyancer
What does a conveyancer do: If you’re buying or selling a property, you will need to retain the services of a qualified conveyancer to ensure that all legal elements relating to the purchase or sale are taken care of.
An essential part of any property or land purchase process, here’s a five-minute guide to the important role that conveyancers play and why you need to choose carefully when seeking a professional conveyancer to work on your behalf.
The legal stuff
In short, your conveyancer will be taking care of all the legal aspects of your property sale or purchase right up until the moment that ownership is transferred. This is an important role so it’s important that you find a conveyancer that is reliable, professional and efficient to help the process run smoothly.
It’s worth asking for recommendations from your estate agent or friends and family and taking note of online reviews in order to find a reputable and reliable service provider.
Property searches and surveys
Conveyancers carry out a number of local searches and arrange surveys which may uncover any ‘hidden’ issues that could impact your purchase.
As an example of this, a conveyancer could request information on mine shafts which exist on your intended property or any planned new developments nearby that may impact on the value or enjoyment of your purchase in the future.
Mortgage matters
If you’ll be getting a mortgage to finance your new property, your conveyancer will liaise with the mortgage company to arrange any financial transactions including deposits, fees and stamp duty.
They will also check through your mortgage documentation to ensure that everything is in order and ready for exchanging contracts when the time comes.
Deeds and titles
Conveyancers representing the buyer and seller will be in regular communication regarding the titles and deeds of the property and will see the draft contract first to check for any issues that will need to be ironed out before completion.
You should know if the property you are buying is a freehold or a leasehold and how long the lease is for. Any arrangement under 80 years can often be expensive to extend and you must have owned the property for at least two years before you can make an application to do so.
Transfer of ownership & completion
Finally, once your conveyancer has carried out all of the surveys, searches and checked draft contracts rigorously, they will set about agreeing on a completion date and will arrange a transfer of ownership.
Once this has been done, the property is legally yours (or has passed on to the new owners in the event of a sale), so the only thing left to do is to pay your conveyancer and thank them for their hard work.
If you’re thinking of buying a new home, we can help you find the right mortgage. Contact us now.