Residential Conveyancing
Moving home - Finding a way through the minefield
Thinking of buying a house or flat? You are probably about to make one of the largest financial commitments of your life, and the property you decide to buy is likely to become home for you and your family for several years to come. You will therefore want to be confident that the process of buying (and if you already a homeowner, selling your present property) runs as smoothly as possible so that once your purchase is complete you can look forward to enjoying your period of ownership free from anxiety. Buying a home can be a very stressful time. We understand this and will try to make the process as trouble-free as possible.
How we can help
Buying a home can be a minefield. It therefore makes sense to employ competent, qualified and experienced professionals to help guide you safely through. You can be assured that we will keep you advised of the progress of your transaction at all times and carry out all procedures as quickly as possible, whilst making sure we are always available to answer your queries. Our assistance could prove invaluable, for example:
- Ownership of the property. If you are buying jointly, will you have equal or unequal shares? What is to happen to the property if one of both of you should die?
- Surveys – if you are taking out a mortgage, the lender will carry out a valuation. This is normally only a cursory inspection and may not be a detailed survey. The seller is not legally bound to, and will not, guarantee the condition of the building, and it is very important that especially with older properties that you have assurance from a qualified surveyor that the property is in good condition.
- Making an offer – we can advise you about making an offer once you find a property you like.
- Estate agents – unless you are a first time buyer, you will probably be selling a property at the same time. Most people use estate agents to sell their home. We can introduce you to reputable local agents.
- Other legal matters - are there conditions in the deed of the property which might affect future planning permission, or boundary walls etc? Are there any Local Authority restrictions, such as landscaping scheme or smoke control order?
These and many other questions are one which we will be happy to advise you on as a matter of course during your conveyancing transaction.
Fees
We will be happy to provide you with a written quotation for all our fees, and other charges, such as search fees, stamp duty and land registry fees. We will also handle the deposits on exchange of contracts, mortgage monies and the transfer of funds upon completion.
If you would like to talk to us without obligation, please call our Conveyancing Department.