The process of handling or partaking in a property transaction can be incredibly complicated. Regardless of whether you’re buying your dream home or offloading one of your real estate investments, the difficulty of transacting property spans from smaller-sized apartments and goes all the way to large condominium complexes.
At this point of your transaction, you’ve probably gone through many different processes you need to take into account before a sale is finalised. While each part of the property transaction process is worth worrying about, arguably the most complex step is conveyancing.
If this is your first time encountering conveyancing as a concept, then it’s crucial to brush up on all you need to know about it so that you have the smoothest experience possible!
What is Conveyancing?
Before we go over the key factors you need to account for to have the smoothest conveyancing experience possible, it’s important to get a definition out of the way.
The term conveyancing refers to the totality of all legal and administrative work involved in transferring the ownership of land or buildings from one person to another. The sheer number of legalities, steps, and entities involved in this process is responsible for its perceived difficulty.
Conveyancing comes around after an offer for a property is accepted by the party selling it. This then initiates the processes that will finalise the deal. This phase of a property transaction ends once the final contracts have been signed and the agreed-upon amount has been transferred to complete the purchase.
Who Is Responsible for Carrying Out the Conveyancing Process?
Not everyone can handle such a complicated process, which is where a trained professional steps in. Solicitors, property lawyers, and licensed conveyancers can handle conveyancing matters on behalf of buyers and sellers. UK law requires hired professionals to be well-equipped because the process in question involves consolidating legal documents from various sources while handling all legal problems that may come about.
When it comes to finding conveyancing specialists in your area to handle your needs, experts can be found through a quick search online or in local law offices or firms. If you want to ensure the services of professionals with the experience and reliability you need, then it’s ideal that you use Conveyancing Calculator to help you out!
What Does a Conveyancer Do?
From a technical standpoint, the main job of a solicitor or conveyancer is to assist a home buyer or seller in every step of the conveyancing process. Professionals entrusted with this particular task are expected to undergo training and possess specific skills or qualifications before they are allowed to take it on.
When you start working with a professional during a conveyancing process, the first thing they’re going to do is conduct vital searches with local authorities and utility companies. This particular process is crucial for conveyancers because it helps ensure that there are no aberrations regarding the building plans or any potential deal-breakers in the structure.
These vital searches are in the best interest of both parties because they reveal:
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If there are sewers running close to the property;
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If the area is categorised as a flood risk;
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If it has any financial liabilities hanging over it from past inhabitants.
Apart from running vital checks and balances, conveyancing professionals will also advise you of any incurred cost that will come about during the property-purchase process. These costs include items such as stamp duties and other inspection or documentation fees.
The services of a solicitor or conveyancer are crucial to invest in because they also help with documentation. They have the expertise needed to check the contracts drawn up by the seller’s solicitor or conveyancer (and vice versa). These crucial documents set out vital details, such as the sale price and the property boundaries. For this reason, it’s crucial to ensure that everything is either neutral or advantageous for both parties.
At the end of the conveyancing process, your hired solicitor or conveyancer will liaise with your mortgage lender to ensure they have all the information they need for a smooth financial transaction. Additionally, conveyancers are responsible for helping pay all the related fees on your behalf (with money you have transferred to the company account) and register the new property owners with the local Land Registry!
What Are the Stages of the Conveyancing Process?
When looking at the conveyancing process as a whole, you may recognise that it can be broken up into three key stages that each involve its own assortment of steps.
To help ensure that you have an accurate idea of what to expect when selling or buying property, let’s go over each stage in further detail:
Stage #1: The Initial Agreement to Buy or Sell
When both buyers and sellers agree to a price, both parties will instruct their respective solicitors to start the conveyancing process. Throughout this stage, several crucial steps must be undertaken to care of the first few requirements involved in a property sale:
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The organisation of an Energy Performance Certificate
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Completion of the Property Information Form, Fittings and Contents Form, and pertinent contracts by the seller’s party
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Application of the buying party for a mortgage by using a firm written offer of mortgage and providing a signed Mortgage Deed
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Surveying of the sold property before an exchange of contracts (this is either done by a Mortgage Company alone or the previous measure with additional processes like Local searches and Water searches if needed)
Stage #2: Exchange of Contracts
After the first stage of the conveyancing process is carried out by the conveyancers of the buying and selling parties, the professionals and their clients can move on to stage two. During the contract exchange stag, various key developments should take place, such as:
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Payment of a deposit
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Preparation of property transfer documents by the buyer’s solicitor (and approval by the seller’s solicitors thereafter)
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The actual exchange of contracts between the buying and selling parties according to a set completion date
Stage #3: Completion
Once contracts are exchanged between buying and selling parties, the final stage they must undertake during the conveyancing process is the completion phase. All obliged parties must complete all necessary payments, arrangements, and documents that will finalise their transaction.
Conclusion
When it comes to real estate transactions, one of the most challenging aspects that both buyers and sellers may experience is the conveyancing process. By taking the time to brush up on all the necessary details mentioned above and enlisting the services of a professional, you won’t need to worry about overlooking any crucial detail!
Are you looking to streamline your home buying or selling process without taking any unnecessary risks along the way? Check out our conveyancing fees calculator today to get the best and most accurate results from our team of fully regulated and trained professionals!
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