Within the past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected all industries and lives in the United Kingdom far beyond what experts and analysts have forecasted on the onset of the pandemic.
From banks and lending institutions to hotels and restaurants, there is no British industry that hasn’t been much affected (or even severely hampered) on all sides of the spectrum. At this moment, businesses and investors alike are scrambling to cut their losses, compensating for lost traction, and channelling all their efforts to make it out of the u-shaped trajectory they’re set up for.
Given all that’s happening, it is relatively easy to believe that there aren’t too many silver linings to look forward to. Nevertheless, there’s still one silver lining to everything that is well worth keeping an eye out for: The booming property market.
An influx of opportunities in the real estate industry
Although the central focus for most companies today is to bounce back from a year that many negative implications, a rather exciting turn of events have taken place in the British property market.
Amid the current economic crisis, property agents, sellers, and buyers alike have increased their activity levels thanks to lower listing prices and retained buying capabilities. In fact, as the months go by, the number of opportunities to grow one’s real estate empire increases thanks to the fact that transactions are being pumped up and pushed out to get cash moving around again.
A problem that lies ahead
Now, you might be at that point, where you’ve looked into the silver lining of this pandemic and the different effects that it can leverage for your finances.
After going through a whole lot of research and gauging the market for potential profitability, it becomes even more evident that there’s no better time to start cashing in on the increase in British property sales and purchases than today. However, the problem with all of this is that transactions are slower now because of the high volume of activity, which is worsened by the restricted level of the workforce holding it all up.
While each task in the home buying process cumulatively created an already-lengthy experience before the pandemic, the amount of time between inquiring and closing has significantly grown. Among the different tasks that leverage an impactful effect on the length of a purchase process, the enquiries stage has been shown to slow down the process the most!
What are conveyancing enquiries?
Whether you’re a first-time or seasoned property investor, the chances are that the term “conveyancing enquiries” isn’t as familiar as you’d hope it would be. Thankfully, it isn’t too late to learn about this critical part of the home buying or selling process!
To best put them, conveyancing enquiries are a specific set of various questions that are raised by an assigned on enlisted conveyancer. Typically, a conveyancer will start asking a specific set of enquiries on behalf of the property buyer that they’ve been hired to represent throughout the conveyancing process itself.
Through the help of conveyancing enquiries, it becomes easier for a conveyancer and the client they represent to fully gauge the overall feasibility of a listing they are investing in or purchasing!
Why are enquiries so important?
Generally, enquiries are essential during any home buying process because they help ensure or verify if a property checks out on all legal aspects, all while complying with strict regulations set by the government.
When the questions are asked, a buyer’s conveyancer has a stronger foundation to help them understand any potential legal issues that may come about during the purchase. Once the necessary findings are uncovered and documented for further deliberation, it becomes more straightforward to fill in a buying party and a mortgage lender on any potential problems that may affect the transaction.
Even though the conveyancing process’ steps bear their respective levels of importance and impact on the buying process, enquiries are seen as the more pivotal factors of the bunch. Beyond guaranteeing that the legal side of things checks out, a standard set of questions will help with verifying or revising the information stated on these related documents and concerns:
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Draft contracts
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Property information forms (all of which are completed by the seller)
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The documented results of the buyer’s searches
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Surveys
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Mortgage offers
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Any questions the buyer may have
What happens with the information that is generated from the enquiries?
The standard operating procedure that conveyancers must carry out with the information generated from enquiries is relatively straightforward in terms of all the goals that must be achieved. After the enquiry process, a solicitor or conveyancer must decide which answers or generated pieces of information they will deal with in the pool of their results. Apart from dealing with the current intel that they collected, a professional must also get in touch with a seller for any additional questions. On top of enlisting the assistance of a seller, however, a buyer’s conveyancer will need to contact other parties (such as land registries, management companies, and local authorities)!
In tandem with the findings of a buyer’s conveyancer, the namesake party is also often assisted by a seller’s conveyancer to fill in the information gaps and ensure that all enquiries are taken care of. However, a buyer’s representative must assess the answers that were provided to them to determine that they are adequate. If a seller’s conveyancer fails to deliver the right quality of answers or fall short of being satisfactory, then further questions must be raised.
Why does the process take incredibly long?
The best explanation as to why enquiries take significantly longer than other parts of the conveyancing process lies in the sheer number of information that must be generated.
On top of the massive load of information collection processes that must be carried out, the fact is that generating or collecting information is a collaborative effort, which is why today’s limited workforce lengthens the process. Thankfully, Conveyancing Calculator’s in-house and fully-licensed experts now follow a digitised process that allows them to gather satisfactory enquiries more efficiently!
Conclusion
Among the different parts of the conveyancing process that are causing home buying experiences amid COVID-19 to take much longer, enquiry-related matters are seen as the most significant contributor to lengthened periods. Although this process may take longer than other tasks, the extra time it takes is highly justified because of how helpful it is in the overall success of a home buying process!
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