Among the various professionals you’ll work with, a conveyancer stands out as a key player, both in ensuring you have a smooth and successful home buying experience, but also in offering peace of mind about the property you’re buying.
Let’s explore what a conveyancer does, tips for choosing the right conveyancer, and the advantages of working with experts in the industry.
What does a conveyancer do?
A conveyancer is a legal professional who specialises in property law. Their primary role is to facilitate the transfer of property ownership from the seller to the buyer. Within this role, they handle a variety of tasks, including:
-
Conducting property searches
-
Reviewing legal documents
-
Coordinating with the mortgage lender
-
Dealing with financial aspects
-
Ensuring all legal obligations are met
Why do you need a conveyancer?
Having a conveyancer is not a legal requirement and while you could buy a house without hiring one, it’s likely to be incredibly impractical, and sometimes even impossible, to take care of the processes involved yourself. Not only that, but with their expertise a conveyancer will be able to handle any potential hurdles or bumps in the road.
Here are a few key reasons why you should work with a conveyancer:
Navigating complex legalities
The homebuying process often involves complicated legal jargon and a conveyancer can help you navigate through them. They conduct thorough property searches, review contracts, and ensure that all legal requirements are met. Their expertise will also help ensure that you comply with any regulations, making it easier to avoid legal complications.
Minimise risks
Working with a conveyancer can help mitigate some of the potential risks associated with property transactions, whether it’s boundary disputes, planning restrictions, or sellers pulling out and the potential repercussions of that. They can help you work towards resolving them before they become significant issues. This protects your interests and offers you peace of mind.
Get expert advice and guidance
Not only will they explain all the legal jargon, they’ll offer their insights into any contracts and help you with the negotiation process. With their expertise, you can rest assured knowing that you’re making an informed decision.
Solicitors vs conveyancers
Solicitors and conveyancers are not the same thing, but they have similar jobs. A solicitor is typically more expensive than a conveyancer but that’s because they are qualified lawyers, so they can also offer a range of additional legal services. Licensed conveyancers specialise in property law and can often offer more cost-effective services if all you need is help with a property transaction.
Choosing the right conveyancer
Choosing a conveyancer can be a personal decision but there are a few key things to note when looking for someone who is going to meet your needs:
Reputation and experience
Look for a conveyancer with a solid reputation and extensive experience in handling property transactions. Read reviews online and see if you can get recommendations from trusted sources. It’s also good practice to enquire about their track record and check if they have client testimonials you can refer to.
Communication and accessibility
Effective communication is vital throughout the homebuying process in general, but especially true through the conveyancing journey. You want to ensure you’re working with someone who is responsive, approachable, and keeps you updated on the progress of your transaction.
Cost considerations
While cost shouldn’t always be the sole deciding factor, it’s essential that you clearly understand the conveyancers fees. Get multiple quotes from a few different sources and compare what you’re getting from the service. Be sure to enquire about additional costs that could arise so that you can budget accordingly.
Working with the professionals
When you’re buying a house, the more expertise you have around you the better. Whether that's a conveyancer, solicitor, or mortgage adviser, working with the right professionals could make the difference between a seamless experience and a stressful one.
If you’re in the process of buying a house but feel like you need a helping hand, get in touch with one of our advisers today. We’re perfectly positioned to offer advice and help you find a deal that’s going to suit your circumstances and unique situation.
Important information
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
There may be a fee for mortgage advice. The actual amount you pay will depend on your circumstances. The fee is up to 1% but a typical fee is 0.3% of the amount borrowed.
Related Articles
Common fears and concerns of first time buyers
How to get mortgage ready
