Buying a house for the very first time can be incredibly exciting, but it can mean that you need a lot of expert guidance as you navigate some unfamiliar and quite daunting legal territory. Our Matlock conveyancing solicitors can offer you friendly specialist advice and support to make the process of buying your first home as stress free and straightforward as possible.
Understanding Conveyancing
Conveyancing is the legal process in which the ownership of a property is transferred from the seller to the buyer. This process begins when the offer you make on a property is accepted and finishes when the sale is complete, and you can walk through your new front door.
Conveyancing solicitors are here to deal with the searches that need to be completed on your property as well as working through the contract from the seller and the mortgage deeds provided by your lender. They can help to identify any issues that might arise and advise you on the best course of action to resolve them. They will deal with the seller’s solicitor and can make sure that all documentation is correct and dealt with on time to avoid any delays.
They will also deal with the transfer of funds to complete the purchase and to pay the Stamp Duty Land Tax to ensure that this is done promptly, properly and legally.
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Why You Need a Solicitor as a First Time Buyer
Most house buyers need a conveyancing solicitor, but this is especially important as a first-time buyer. The process of buying a property is a complicated one, and it can be difficult to navigate – especially if you have never done it before. There can be a lot of legal jargon to understand and deadlines to work to, so having a conveyancing solicitor to deal with this for you can ensure that you prevent any delays and that you are confident that you know what you are dealing with.
The Role of a Solicitor for First Time Buyers
A conveyancing solicitor will not only make sure that all documentation is taken care of, but they will also keep you updated throughout the process. They will be able to give you an insight into where you are in the process, what they have found out and how long the next stage is likely to take.
They can alert you to any concerns that they may have about the contract or the results of the searches and can offer you expert advice in what action to take as a result of this. Their expert knowledge and experience allows them to guide you seamlessly through the purchase, making sure that you are fully informed at every stage.
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How to Find the Right Solicitor
Finding the right solicitor is very important, as you need to be able to have a good relationship with them and trust that they are capable of doing the job. Make sure that the conveyancing solicitor you want to work with is adequately qualified and is a member of all of the relevant legal organisations, in order to offer you protection and peace of mind.
Look for a solicitor who comes highly recommended, whether that is from friends and family or online reviews, so that you can be confident that they will do a good job for you and your purchase.
The Importance of Hiring a Local Solicitor
Local knowledge is incredibly important when hiring a conveyancing solicitor. This is because they will have good working relationships with other local solicitors, as well as estate agents, lenders and surveyors. This can make the purchase process much smoother and quicker.
They will also have knowledge of the local area and any laws or covenants that might affect your property, as well as detailed knowledge of the local property market. This puts them in a unique and informed position that can help your purchase to be much more efficient.
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Why Choose Us
At Lovedays Solicitors, we offer a face-to-face service that blends professional experience with a friendly and dedicated team. We are transparent in everything that we do, and every single one of us is committed to providing you with the best possible service.
As we have spent the last century working in the Matlock and Wirksworth area, we have unique local knowledge combined with the latest technology to make sure your house purchase runs smoothly.
We have vast experience, and so we can guide you through each step of your purchase expertly, even if you have never done it before.
The Conveyancing Process: A Step-by-Step Guide for First Time Buyers
Once you have had your offer on a property accepted, you will need to instruct your conveyancing solicitor. We can then arrange for surveys on the property to be completed and will contact the seller’s solicitor to obtain the contract.
We will check this thoroughly and will let you know if there are any elements of concern or items that you particularly need to be aware of and can raise enquiries about these if needed. When the results of your searches are returned, we will also inform you of anything significant that these have revealed.
Once you are happy to proceed, we will arrange for you to sign your contract and pay your deposit. At this point, the contract can be exchanged to legally commit you to the purchase and a completion date will be agreed. Transfer deeds and completion information can then be drafted and signed, and we can apply to your mortgage lender for the funds that they are supplying.
On the day of completion, the seller will vacate the property and we will transfer the funds over to them. Once this is done, they will release the keys and you can take ownership of your new home. We will then send your Stamp Duty Land Tax funds to HMRC and register the property in your name with The Land Registry.
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Cost of Conveyancing: What to Expect
It is important to understand the cost of conveyancing so that you can factor this into the cost of buying your first house. Whilst the price of the average house in the UK is now around £285,000, there are a number of other fees that you will also need to pay. The cost of a conveyancing solicitor is often between £1000 and £1500, which covers their legal fees and any searches that they need to pay for. It is important to remember that every situation is different, so please speak to us directly for a no obligation quote.
How We Can Assist First Time Buyers
We can help you as a first-time buyer by offering you all of our years of expertise and knowledge. We can advise you on government schemes that might help you to buy your dream first home and can offer you all the guidance that you need throughout the process so that you are fully informed at all times. We work on your behalf to make sure that your purchase runs as smoothly as possible and can help you to avoid any pitfalls before they happen.
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Offer Ready: Fast-Tracking Your First Home Purchase
The length of time that it takes to buy a house can be frustrating, but there are things that you can do to reduce this. Start with looking at your financial position and make sure that you have your savings in place to use as a deposit. You can show this to your preferred lender and get a Mortgage in Principle ready before you make any offer on a house.
It is also a good idea to hire your conveyancing solicitor before you try to make an offer on a property, as they will then be ready to move forward the minute that are accepted. Surveys often need to be booked in advance, and there can be a wait of weeks for them, so getting this ball rolling immediately can save you a lot of time.
A chain can often be something which slows down the sale process, and is beyond the control of most people, so if moving quickly is a priority for you, try looking for a property which has little or no chain.
As your conveyancing solicitor, we will keep you informed of everything that is happening as soon as we can. You can help to move the process along by ensuring that all of your relevant paperwork is ready and accessible, and that you respond to any queries as quickly as possible.
By being prepared and communicating well, the time taken to purchase your property can be cut significantly.
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