Buying A Home Solicitors – The What, How, And When
If you’re buying a home, solicitors are a vital but often opaque part of the process.
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But if you want your home purchase to go ahead with a minimum of fuss, stress, and legal and financial risk, understanding what your solicitors are doing, how they are doing it, and when they do it is critical.
Reach out to us today on 0191 284 5030 or complete a Free Online Enquiry and we will get right back to you.
“Excellent service from start to finish was kept updated with everything that was going on very efficient Elaine is an asset to the firm always happy to help and very friendly would recommend birch and co to everyone“ GA
Here is everything you need to know about using solicitors to buy a house:
When Should I Contact Solicitors To Buy A House?
Most people think that their first port of call when buying a home should be the estate agent who is advertising the property, or perhaps a mortgage lender to make sure they can afford it.
However, it is important to bear in mind that buying a home is a legal process as much as it is a financial one. It is often a risk to start spending money on the possibility of buying a property before you consult with an expert.
This means you will often want to get in touch with a solicitor who specialises in home buying and selling – a conveyancing solicitor – earlier in the buying process.
Why Contact Conveyancing Solicitors Early In The Process?
The key reasons why it is better to reach out to a conveyancing solicitor sooner rather than later are chiefly related to making sure your purchase goes ahead smoothly without unnecessary additional time or costs.
For instance, in the 31 years that Birch & Co has been helping people in the North East buy homes securely and safely, we have helped our clients by doing things like:
- Advising you on how the conveyancing process works and how to streamline it
- Talking through your plan for buying a home with you
- Helping you avoid common mistakes and errors that can be costly or time-consuming
- Investigating the seller’s documentation so you don’t waste money on searches before you need to
- Connecting you with specialists like reputable surveyors who you will need later in the process
Buying A Home Solicitors Fees
When you’re buying a home, solicitors fees can vary a great deal. By way of a general indication, the average cost of conveyancing fees in the UK can range from around £850 to £1500.
However, those are just the legal fees. There are also what are called “disbursements”. These are smaller fees, such as land registry or property search charges – all of which are required as part of the conveyancing process.
It is not uncommon for disbursements and other costs of buying a house, such as bank charges, to add several hundred pounds more to the cost. Your solicitor will have little say in how much these additional costs add to the conveyancing process.
This can mean the average total cost of buying a home can be as high as £2339, and sometimes even more depending on the part of the country you are in.
How To Choose Solicitors For House Buying
All of this makes it important to find a reliable solicitor for house buying. But with so many options available, how do you choose between them? As a general rule, it can be useful to:
- Go local – local solicitors know the local area and will have experience working with local bodies. For instance, Birch & Co operates predominantly in the North East, thus we are on the approved panel of most mortgage lenders you will find in this part of the country.
- Get a fixed quote for free first – any reliable conveyancing solicitor should offer a free quote before you start using them. Make sure you’re sure what the quote includes and that it won’t be subject to change later.
- Check Law Society membership – The Law Society is the professional body for solicitors in England and Wales. Check your solicitor is a member. You might also check for extras like the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme which Birch & Co is accredited by.
- Look at reviews – these are easy to find online. Checking us, for example, you will find a 5-star Google rating and 99% satisfaction ratings from previous clients.
Of course, there is often no substitute for walking into your local solicitor or picking up the phone and getting in touch.
Why not do that today? Birch & Co has been supporting local people in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, across the wider North East and beyond for more than 31 years.
Get a fixed fee estimate with zero hidden extras today when you call us on 0191 284 5030 or complete a Free Online Enquiry.
“Dealt with the sale of my late mothers house and were very attentive to all details and keeping us informed of the progress. Would definitely recommend them”(GG)
