From Serious to Entertaining: Blogs on Legal Matters

A conveyancer is like a professional assistant who helps and guides you through the real estate conveyancing process. You are typically not legally required to use the services of a conveyancer when buying a house, but they can offer you many benefits and protections when you are ready to make an offer on a property. Note when it can be good to hire a conveyancer to help you through the home buying process and why their services might be needed.

1. Searches

A conveyancer will usually have more experience than you in doing searches for the home, and this can wind up protecting you in the long run. For example, do you think the home might be in a flood zone, or is a potential homeowner's insurance carrier asking you to get flood insurance on the home? A conveyancer can check the flood risk or do an environmental search to note if your home is truly in a flood zone or not. If there are any potential risks for the home or any potential changes to the neighboring area, you might hire a conveyancer to do the proper searches for you.

2. Surveys and inspections 

Typically, a mortgage valuation survey is done, so that your mortgage lender knows the home is sufficient security for the mortgage loan. However, do you know what other surveys or inspections might be done to the home and property in order to protect your investment? This can mean an air quality survey to check for signs of radon, mold, or asbestos. A pest inspection can tell you if the home is infested with termites or rodents. A conveyancer will be familiar with the types of surveys and inspections that are available and which might be recommended for the area in which your new home is located, so you can know of any potential problems with the home.

3. Exchanging contracts

At the end of the conveyancing process, there is an exchange of contracts. If you're not sure what this entails, you would do well to have a conveyancer handle this for you; there is an agreed upon day when contracts are exchanged after having been read over a recorded phone call, and a conveyancer will be familiar with that process. You would typically also have a particular timeframe for the seller to vacate the property if they have not already done so. A conveyancer will understand the details of this final, but important part of the conveyancing process, so rather than try to handle this exchange on your own, it can be best to have them manage this step for you.

For more information, contact a local conveyancing firm.