Buying a home is not just a considerable financial commitment, but it can be an emotional one too. Whether you are a first-time buyer, moving up the property ladder, buying a property for investment purposes, or downsizing later in life, the process can feel overwhelming. Choosing the right solicitor home buying support is crucial to ensure everything runs smoothly and quickly.
To speak to our experts please call us free of charge on 0800 988 3674 or Make A Free Online Enquiry.
Do You Need A Solicitor For Home Buying?
Property transactions are complex legal processes. A solicitor for home buying is an expert in this niche area of law. We ensure that the transfer of ownership is valid, your interests are protected, and that all the necessary legal steps are followed.
Just a few reasons why solicitor home buying services are so important include the following:
- We offer specialist legal expertise. We understand the laws around property ownership as well as other issues that may arise, such as rights of way and boundaries.
- We understand and manage the contractual documentation. Buying a property involves a vast array of documentation. We will review search results and title deeds and negotiate contracts that protect your legal position.
- We understand what can go wrong when buying a property. Our experience enables us to pre-empt any issues and prevent them from escalating, and to deal with any problems swiftly and effectively.
What Is The Solicitor Home Buying Process?
A general overview of the home buying process is as follows:
1. Instructing Your Solicitor For Home Buying
Once your offer has been accepted, you will need to formally instruct a solicitor for home buying.
2. Draft Contract And Initial Checks
The seller’s solicitor will prepare the draft contract. Your solicitor for home buying will review that draft contract carefully and carry out key legal checks, including the following:
- Verifying that the seller owns the property.
- Checking for any restrictions on the property that may impact your proposed purchase.
- Reviewing any planning permissions and building regulations.
- Examining the results of property searches, such as environmental and local authority searches.
3. Raising Enquiries
If there are any issues or missing information, your solicitor will raise enquiries with the seller’s solicitor. This might cover anything from boundary questions to whether there is a service charge for shared areas.
4. Signing Contracts
When both sides are happy with the terms of the sale and purchase, your solicitor will send the contract to you for signing. At this stage, you will also transfer your deposit.
5. Exchange Of Contracts
Your solicitor and the seller’s solicitor exchange contracts. At this point, the agreement becomes legally binding, and a completion date is set. If either party pulls out of the transaction after exchange of contracts, they are liable for breach of contract.
6. Completion
On completion day, your solicitor will transfer the balance of the purchase money to the seller’s solicitor. Once this is done, you can collect your keys and move in.
7. Post-Completion Matters
After completion, your solicitor will handle the legal formalities, including:
- Paying Stamp Duty Land Tax (if applicable); and
- Registering you as the new owner with HM Land Registry.
How can you ensure that your solicitor home buying experience runs smoothly?
Not all transactions are straightforward, and issues can sometimes arise. It is our job to address these issues and ensure that they do not derail your purchase. However, there are certain things you can do to help the process run more smoothly. They include the following:
- Instruct your solicitor early. Having a solicitor ready and waiting to start work on your case can save valuable time and facilitate a swift completion.
- Respond quickly to requests. Providing any ID, documentation, and payments promptly can avoid delays.
- Be clear about your timescales. If you need to move by a specific date, let your solicitor know at the outset, so they can do all they can to ensure you can meet your deadline.
- Budget for all costs. As well as the property purchase price, remember to budget for solicitors’ fees, searches, mortgage costs, and Stamp Duty. Our solicitors will provide a detailed breakdown of the process you will likely incur at the outset of your matter, so you can budget effectively.
- Communicate with your solicitor for home buying. Effective communication between a solicitor and their client is key in nurturing a mutually beneficial relationship. We will always be on hand to deal with any queries or concerns you have, and will ensure that you are kept fully up to date about how your transaction is progressing.
To speak to our experts please call us free of charge on 0800 988 3674 or Make A Free Online Enquiry.
