Conveyancing a property, especially if it’s your first time, can seem very daunting – and it
definitely can be, why it’s always a good idea to hire a lawyer or licenced conveyancer to take care of
deciphering all the legal jargon and make sure all of the documentation is in order. The last
thing you want is a problem in the wording of a contract causing issues on your hand-over
day.
While you might not know the ins and outs of conveyancing, there are a few things you
can do to make sure everything goes to plan on your big day.
Selecting Your Conveyancer
The first thing to know is that conveyancers (or lawyers) are not all equal – they will
have different methods in place, have different levels of attention to detail, and place
varying levels of importance on client communication. While the best way to find someone
you can trust is to ask friends and family for recommendations, if that comes up dry then you
may need to source one another way.
Narrow your search parameters to the geographical limits you are comfortable with, jot
down some promising-sounding names, and then research – check their website and look for
reviews. Make sure you contact them directly too. Some helpful questions to ask
include:
- What types of property do you specialise in?
- What fees do you charge?
- Are there any extra costs not included upfront?
- What sort of information will you communicate with me?
- What sort of timeframes can I expect on document turnarounds?
Make sure that whoever you go with makes you feel confident and at ease. Don’t let
fancy talking sway you if you just don’t like them.
Understanding What They Do
It helps to have a basic idea of what your conveyancer is taking care of behind the scenes;
that way, you’ll know if they try and charge you for unnecessary costs and won’t feel as
though you are blindly trusting someone with this huge purchase (or sale).
Conveyancers take care of the entirety of the legal transfer of property ownership. This
includes things like doing a property title search, going over the contract of sale, dealing with
the deposit money, calculating the adjustment of rates and taxes, and settling the
property.
Many conveyancers utilise designated software and online solutions to take care of the research
parts of the job. Specialist legal software and conveyancing services companies like GlobalX Legal Solutions provide services including the provision of accurate, trusted and critical information to conveyancers throughout this process. Your
conveyancer should always be acting on your behalf, so if at any point you are feeling
uncomfortable, make sure you speak to them about your feelings.
Settlement Day
If you’ve done your homework and gone with a reputable solicitor, you can sit back, collect
your keys, and begin the task of moving! Don’t get overwhelmed and try to enjoy the
process.
Organising the conveyancing of a property can feel out of your depth, but if you invest a
bit of time and research your options carefully, your dream home is definitely within reach.
Have you gone through the conveyancing process recently? Share your experiences
below.
