When moving home it is a good idea to know what you are signing up for. Conveyancing can be a lengthy and stressful process and so here are some top tips in order to speed up the transaction and help it run smoothly!
Selling
- Get valuations from three independent local estate agents.
- As soon as you have a buyer, instruct a Solicitor.
- Gather any documentation that is relevant to the property such as certificates for replacement windows, boiler service sheets, any guarantees, electrical works, planning permissions etc. Any alterations to your property such as replacing windows or adding extensions may have required building regulations sign offs and certificates. Check that you have these and if not, try to obtain duplicates from the professional who carried out the work.
- If you have a mortgage, look out the details for this i.e. account numbers, contact address and telephone number.
- If you are selling a leasehold property or a property with communal managed areas, contact the freeholder/management company and enquire about a management pack. There will be a fee for this, and it can take some time to prepare. It is therefore a good idea to pay for this directly with the freeholder/management company as soon as you have a buyer and have instructed your solicitors.
Buying
- If you require a mortgage it is important to get this sorted in principle at the outset of the transaction.
- Obtain bank statements evidencing that you have sufficient funds to purchase the property.
- If you are buying the property with another individual, start thinking about how you wish to hold the property i.e. as Joint Tenants or Tenants in Common.
- Provide your solicitor with a payment on account as soon as possible to enable them to request the conveyancing searches.
- Be aware that until contracts have been exchanged by the solicitors in the transaction, there is no legal contract. It is advisable not to book any removals or installations until there has been an exchange of contracts and a completion date fixed.
Whether you are selling or buying it is important to obtain a detailed quotation from your Solicitor in order that you know exactly what disbursements to expect and what payments need to be made upfront. At Dawson Hart, we pride ourselves on price transparency so you will always know what you are going to have to pay. For a personalised quote please contact Laura Mechen.