The Process Of Conveyancing Explained
If you plan on buying a home, the first thing you ought to consider is hiring a conveyancer. The process of buying a home seems to be lengthy and complicated, but it is actually much more straightforward than you think. The following article seeks to give you a basic understanding of conveyancing before you move to buy a house.
What Is Conveyancing?
It is the legal transfer of home ownership from one person (the seller) to another (the buyer). It begins when you place an offer on a house that is on sale and your offer is accepted. It ends when you have signed the contract and have the keys to the house.
Who Does Conveyancing?
The process of conveyancing is conducted by a conveyancer or solicitor. Though it is possible to conduct the process on your own, it is better to have the presence of a professional to avoid issues that may arise in the future such as the legality of the title of the house or the contract that gives you ownership of the house.
Procedure Of Conveyancing
Before Exchanging Contracts: This involves the negotiation of a draft contract between your conveyancer and the home owner (seller). Your conveyancer sends an application to the council involved with property for a search. Searches may reveal, for instance, that there is a new road set to be built on the area where the property is located or that there are problems with the house. This is crucial as it will determine whether you are going to go through with the purchase and change your offer or whether you will withdraw your offer.
Your conveyancer is also involved in checking the title to verify its authenticity. He/she will also peruse through the contract and papers to ensure they are okay.
Exchange Of Contracts: After you are satisfied with the property, the next step is the exchange of contracts. At this stage, you are both required by law to proceed with the transaction. You will be required to provide a non-refundable deposit that is 10% of the selling price of the house. Your conveyancer will then draft the transfer document and finalise any mortgage agreement.
Completion: At this point, you will settle the remaining balance of the house through your conveyancer. You will also need to pay solicitor fees to your conveyancer.
Your solicitor will be involved in performing the following final operations on your behalf:
- Paying of stamp duty land tax
- Sending your mortgage lender copies of your title deed--your lender holds onto these documents until you clear your loan
You will get all your legal documents in 20 days from the time your conveyancer sends them to the registry of lands. From this point on, you will receive the keys to your new house and are free to move in.
For more information, contact a business such as KJB Law.