Buying or selling a home involves tons of paperwork and even requires you to learn some of the basic real estate jargons and the legalities of property law. On top of that, you have to consider various factors when looking for the perfect house or transitioning from one place to another.
This entire process can be confusing, stressful, and overwhelming. Fortunately, you can hire an experienced conveyancing expert to help you navigate through the legal processes involved in property selling or buying.
What is a Conveyancer?
A conveyancer is responsible for the buying and selling of property. Hiring them means representing you as a buyer or seller and making sure the terms and conditions of the sale contract are fair and reasonable.
If you are selling your home, a conveyancer working on your behalf will request a copy of the land registry for the property being sold. They will then prepare a contract for sale, which will include the information from the land registry. This will be handed over to your solicitor once completed.
Meanwhile, a conveyancer working on your behalf as a buyer usually will assess the contract of sale that would have been received from your lawyer. They will be responsible for confirming if you have sufficient funds to complete the sale, especially if you are borrowing money to help pay off your mortgage.
How Do I Choose the Right Conveyancer?
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Look beyond the recommendation from your real estate agent
After agreeing on a price for a house sale, many homebuyers who hired a conveyancer recommended by their real estate agent aren’t aware if the lawyer was paying a fee for this recommendation. To avoid this common mistake, consider looking beyond what your agent has recommended.
Remember, you have to understand exactly where your money is going. Your estate agent and conveyancer are required to tell you if they are receiving a fee for the recommendation. On the other hand, you can opt to find another conveyancer that perfectly matches your needs and requirements instead.
To help you search for the conveyancer that fits your budget easily, contact us for assistance in comparing conveyancing costs. Our solicitors and licensed conveyancers offer UK-nationwide coverage and fully transparent quotes that contain all-inclusive breakdown with no hidden fees. This way, you can save time when comparing prices from nationwide property solicitors and calculating conveyancing fees.
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Check the conveyancer’s regulatory status
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) are legal sector regulators. Before hiring a conveyancer, confirm if the lawyer or firm you are planning to work with is regulated, particularly if there is a mortgage involved. This will give you peace of mind and offer you protection in case something goes wrong.
Most conveyancers only specialise in conveyancing, while some are solicitors who have changed their status to licensed conveyancers. If you are looking for fully regulated conveyancing professionals, consider reaching out to us.
All our online conveyancing quotes are provided by licensed conveyancers and SRA-regulated solicitors across the country. You can have peace of mind knowing your sale, purchase, or remortgage are safe in the hands of experts.
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Consider the quality of their services
When trying to save money, you may be tempted to work with the conveyancer who offers the cheapest services. While it’s reasonable to want to avoid spending too much, some cheap rates are not all-inclusive quotes. Besides, their fee shouldn’t be the only thing you consider.
The quality of service you will receive is far more important than the cost to ensure your peace of mind, safety, and protection. Ask for recommendations from family and friends, look for conveyancers online, and read reviews and feedback from their clients on their social media platforms or websites.
As mentioned, real estate agents can receive a fee if they refer you to a conveyancing firm. You can consider their recommendation, but make sure to assess their quality of service and regulatory status prior to working with them.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to team up with the firm or person your real estate agent recommends. You have the freedom to choose the conveyancer that best suits your requirements and needs.
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Check the rate inclusions
The legal industry fosters innovation and competition among lawyers and law firms and aims to empower consumers. This is why all property lawyers are required to post their rates, services, and quality information on their websites. Be sure to check their rate inclusions and other helpful information online before working with them.
Some crucial details you must see from the lawyers’ websites are fees that cover their wide range of services and transaction types including conveyancing, their service information containing information on conveyancing timescales and third-party feedback, and their regulatory information. There should be a secure badge for lawyers regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).
In addition, the websites should indicate their complaint process, including access to the Legal Ombudsman and redress information. Finally, they must contain referral details indicating if they enter into such agreements. They should also include their average fee or range of fees.
Meanwhile, having no website does not mean that your chosen property lawyer is exempt from the rules. They are required to provide you with those details via email, post, or even leaflets.
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Consider their preferred mode of communication
Whether you are buying or selling a home, you should place major importance over communication. Therefore, you have to consider the preferred mode of communication of the conveyancer you are planning to work with. For instance, do you value face-to-face communication more or do you find it easier to deal with professionals mostly by emails or phone calls?
Every conveyancer is different and has a unique preference. Make sure to choose a firm that works the way that suits your preferences best.
Aside from their preferred mode of communication, you should consider whether the conveyancer has experience in dealing with real estate transactions like yours. Assess the way you want the service delivered to have an easier time choosing the right conveyancer for you.
Conclusion
Real estate transactions can be complicated. It needs you to handle legal aspects, organize your finances, ensure you are satisfied with your contract, and more. Navigating through this can be difficult, especially if you are unfamiliar with the technicalities and legal processes involved in property buying or selling.
The good news is that you can ease your stress and have a smoother, faster experience by working with the right conveyancer who is best suited to your specific transaction. When searching for one, remember and follow the tips listed in this guide. You can also seek instant online residential conveyancing quotations from us.
Compare conveyancing fees without any hassle by asking us for expert assistance. We offer conveyancing quotations using an accurate and trusted calculator for our clients in the UK. Request a quote today!
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