Buying Property Some Tips
Residential Conveyancing
Residential Conveyancing
We aim to make moving home as stress free as possible for our clients. No fuss, no
bother. A proper, professional service.
All our conveyancing work is done by experienced, qualified solicitors. We've been doing
it for over 35 years. We know what to do to make things happen and how to protect you
from the worst of the horrors and irritations.
If you want solicitors who will listen to you and do what you want, when you want it,
call us on 0208 843 0084.
Our office is in West London. You are welcome to visit us but you don't have to. We
regularly act for clients all over the country, doing everything by post, the telephone
and by email.
Buying or selling a house or a flat is something most clients do just a few times
in there lives. We do it everyday. We know what we are doing .
Some Tips
Remember you are dealing with human beings. With all the good…and the
bad.. …things that involves. Most will be scrupulously honest and fair. Others will be
so worried about losing the deal that they will tell you what they think you want to
hear. A very small minority will mislead you. Listen to what they say to you but always
rely on your own common sense and if in doubt…double check with us. We will always be
straight with you about what is going on.
If you have to move by a certain date, changing jobs, getting married,
fitting in with school terms TELL US as early as possible. We will do
everything we can to meet your deadline. Otherwise:
Be realistic about timing. Moving home takes on average about ten weeks.
That's not because solicitors are slow and deliberately delay matters. (We don't get
paid till the end so it's in our interests to speed matters up). Why it takes time is
because conveyancing is all about protecting the client. The amount of money involved in
buying any property is so high, the purchaser's solicitors have to carry out a whole
range of enquiries, searches and other checks to protect the buyer and their mortgage
lender (if there is to be a mortgage) from expensive, avoidable problems. These checks
involve getting information from a range of different people and organisations,
including other lawyers, local councils, private companies, building societies and
banks. Some of these are efficient and well organised. Others aren't. And remember, it
doesn't matter how quickly we do our job, if the people you are buying from or are
selling to aren't ready, nothing can go ahead until they are.
And we are all now live in a world where every box has to be ticked. If you have a
mortgage we have to do everything your mortgage lender demands however over the top or
irrelevant it is. Unless we do they won't give us your mortgage money to complete the
purchase.
Whether you have a mortgage or not we have to make sure everything is covered and
evidenced in writing. If we don't then you may have a problem when you try to sell in 5
or 10 or 20 years time. We have to protect you and protect ourselves. We don't have an
option. Those are the rules we have to operate under.
Don't count on moving on a certain date until contracts are
exchanged. Whatever promises the people you are buying from or selling to
make, or your mortgage lender makes don't rely on them until what they promise actually
happens. More stress is caused to clients by false promises than anything else.
Common promises which are so often untrue as to ring alarm bells;
From the lender: "The mortgage offer is on its way".
From the buyer: "I'm a cash buyer"
From the seller: "I'll move out into rented accommodation so you can meet your target
moving date"
Don't book to go on holiday right in the middle of the transaction. You
have to be around to give instructions and sign documents.
If you know the property has anything unusual about it, for
example…..it's been converted into flats, the loft has been turned into an extra bedroom
or it's unclear where the garden begins or ends… let us know.
Some of the checks the buyer's solicitor carries out are routine and are done
automatically. Others will be triggered off by the nature of the individual property
being bought. If we are acting for you in buying, unless you have given us some
pre-warning, we may not know what extra checks are needed until a copy of the title
documents is examined or information is received from one of the routine checks. This
can slow the transaction down. In addition it's increasingly common for mortgage lenders
to include unexpected conditions in their mortgage offers which the buyer's solicitors
will not know about until a copy of the offer is received.
If you are buying, don't be afraid to bargain. Some sellers are tough and won't budge a
penny, particularly if the property has only just gone on the market. Some may be keen
to sell and will accept an offer 5%, 10% or even more below the asking price. No harm in
trying.
Try and get the seller to agree what fixtures and fittings they will be leaving at the
property. They are likely to be more generous when you are still deciding whether to buy
or not than after you have made an offer and it has been accepted.
Don't be shy about going back to look at the property two or three times. It will
probably be one of the biggest purchases of your lives so check it out thoroughly. Go
and look around the neighbourhood. Are there any noisy pubs or clubs nearby, school
traffic choking the roads at the beginning and end of the school day. Is the property
next door well looked after or does it look like a tip. Have a look at
www.upmystreet.com to find out more about the area
If you are selling, talk to us before you do anything else. We can sort out the
conveyancing paperwork required before you even find a buyer this can make the whole
process quicker, easier and less stressful for you. We may even be able to negotiate a
discount on your estate agents fee.
Talk to us at M&S Solicitors. We have acted for people buying and selling for over
35 years and are more than happy to give you advice and guidance
Call us on 0208 843 0084.