Conveyancing is the procedure of moving real estate from one party to another. It is a generally used term in real estate transactions when purchasers and homeowners transfer possession of real estate,which could be land,property,or a home.
The procedure involves a tool of conveyance which is usually a legal record such as a contract,lease,title,or a deed. The record carries information which includes the agreed-upon purchase price,the date of actual transfer,as well as the obligations and responsibilities of both parties.
Conveyancing is typically done in two periods:
- The swap of written agreements; at which phase all the terms of the deal are decided and,
- The completion of the deal where the legal title passes on to the customer
Who Commonly does Conveyancing?
Conveyancing is typically done by a legal representative known as a conveyancer. The conveyancer could be a solicitor,real estate lawyer or a licensed conveyancer. All lawyers are qualified to do conveyancing; that being said,not all of them have the involved experience.Most real estate transactions call for that a mortgage loan of some sort be taken out. As a result,home mortgage lenders have a list of conveyancers whose services they would prefer.If you choose not to use a conveyancer from their approved list,you may be involved to pay a fee to go elsewhere. If you do need help then get in touch with Chris Stevenson Conveyancing
What Exactly do Solicitors and Conveyancers Do?
When a solicitor or conveyancer gets their instructions from you,the following are the services you should expect from them:
They will conduct searches within organizations such as local authorities and utility companies. These searches are essential because they ensure that there are no plans afoot – such as building plans – on the land you intend to buy. They also reveal if there are any potential issues associated with the real estate,such as:
- Whether sewers are running close to the real estate
- Whether the area is categorised as a flood risk
- Whether unresolved financial liabilities are hanging over it from past inhabitants
Then,they will inform you of possible costs you can incur,such as stamp duty. They will also check out the written agreements drawn up by the lawyer or conveyancer of the other party.The agreement will include essential details like the price of purchase or sale. They will also liaise with your home mortgage lender to ensure that they have all the information they need to proceed with your home mortgage.
Your lawyer such as Chris Stevenson or conveyancer will register your possession with the Land Registry as the new owner of the real estate if you are the customer.
What Process does Conveyancing Follow?
The procedure of conveyancing occurs from two ends – the customer’s end and the homeowner’s end. If you are the homeowner,the procedure is as follows:
- You instruct your conveyancer.
- Your conveyancer confirms your instructions through a letter which states the terms of business and the cost of fixed fees.
- Your conveyancer carries out a proof of identity check and gives you some forms to fill which will provide information about the real estate you are selling.
- Once you fill the forms,your conveyancer will need the title deeds or official copies of the title register and any other records the Land Registry involves. You will also need to release details of any existing home mortgage and the outstanding amount.
- Your conveyancer then prepares the draft agreement and any supporting agreement documentation to send to your customer’s conveyancer. He or she also answers any pre-contract enquiries raised by your customer.
- Once your customer’s conveyancer expresses satisfaction with the results of their searches and the answers to their pre-contract enquiries,they confirm the receipt of a mortgage loan offer if any.
- You and your customer agree on a completion date,and you both commit to the deal legally. Your conveyancer will help you get a settlement figure to repay the outstanding amount on the home mortgage if any. Your customer’s conveyancer then drafts a transfer deed and sends to your conveyancer.
Your conveyancer then checks the transfer deed,ensures that all is in order and sends it to you to sign,thus signaling the completion of the deal.As a purchaser,the conveyancing procedure is the same as your conveyancer looks out for your interests in the procedure outlined above.
Can I do my Own Conveyancing?
The short answer is yes; you can do your conveyancing yourself. That being said,you shouldn’t do so,especially if you are buying real estate. If you are buying with a mortgage loan,or selling to somebody who is buying with a mortgage loan then you will not be permitted to handle the deal yourself. Lenders have this rule to safeguard their own interests as professional conveyancers have professional indemnity insurance.
Conveyancing is a complicated and time-consuming procedure. It is also a risky business as it could turn disastrous in the blink of an eye. It is a detail-oriented procedure and one which could hurt you if you miss a significant detail that only becomes apparent after you complete the deal.Have you ever heard of ‘caveat emptor’? It is a common law principle which means ‘let the customer beware’,and it applies to real estate in the United Kingdom.
Thus,if you do the conveyancing yourself and a controversy pops up,you have no recourse against the homeowner. The sad truth is that in some cases,homeowners do not have the legal right to sell the real estates they are marketing. With a licensed and experienced conveyancer,you can avoid this pitfallby calling Chris Stevenson Conveyancing