When you’re buying a home, there’s a lot to think about. It’s difficult enough finding a property you love, but many buyers, particularly first-time buyers, are surprised by the amount of time and legal expertise required for a property sale to be finalised.

If you’re thinking of buying a property, it’s usually recommended that you find a conveyancing solicitor – but what exactly are they, and what do they do? Here, we’ll take an in-depth look at what conveyancing solicitors are and why you need one for your property purchase.

What Is a Conveyancing Solicitor?

A conveyancing solicitor is a fully trained and practising lawyer who specialises in the legal transfer of a property from one owner to another – this transfer is what’s called conveyancing. The most crucial stages of conveyancing are the exchanging of contracts and the completion of the sale, which is when everything has gone through, and the property purchase has been finalised. A conveyancing solicitor will be an expert in this process and will help make your property purchase smoother and more convenient.

What Do Conveyancing Solicitors Do?

When you’re buying a house and you hire a conveyancing solicitor, they will be the person who handles all the legal aspects of the property transfer. That means they’ll be the ones to:

Work closely with your mortgage lender
Figure out if you need to pay stamp duty land tax, and if so, how much
Offer you legal advice if an issue arises during a survey of the property
Work with the seller’s conveyancing solicitor to draft and draw up a contract of sale
Give this contract to you and the seller so you can sign it – this is what makes the exchange of property legal
Arrange the transfer of money from you, the buyer, to the seller

Do You Really Need a Conveyancing Solicitor?

According to UK law, there is nothing stopping you from acting as your own conveyancer. If you have a great deal of amateur legal knowledge, you can feel free to carry out the entire conveyancing process yourself.

However, for the vast majority of people, this is simply not a viable option. The quantity of complex legal paperwork involved in conveyancing is often beyond the understanding of any average Joe, and the amount of time it takes to ensure that the whole process runs smoothly is long and draining. It’s a full-time job.

It is for this reason that most people choose to hire a conveyancing solicitor.

How Much Does It Cost?

The cost of hiring a conveyancing solicitor can vary from company to company and transaction to transaction. The size and cost of the property you’re purchasing can impact the cost of the legal fees you will incur, and it can depend on a number of other factors.

Since buying a property is an expensive endeavour regardless, you’ll want to find somebody who strikes the right balance between affordable and professional. Get in touch with Jordans Solicitors for a free consultation with qualified conveyancing solicitors.

Hiring a conveyancing solicitor is an important part of buying a house. The whole process of property purchase, from house hunting to completion, is long and complicated, so find somebody you trust who can handle the legal aspects for you.