When do I call the solicitor?
If you are buying a home, we recommend getting in touch with your solicitor at the time you start getting serious with the house hunting. If you have shortlisted to a few options – a solicitor can help you do the necessary due diligence and research to make sure you know what you are comparing. Maybe one property has an easement that you don’t know about or was previously a contaminated site. It’s good to get the facts before you make an offer.
You might have already done some verbal negotiating back and forth with a vendor or real estate agent before getting a solicitor involved, and that’s ok, but we must stress how important it is that you do not sign a contact before you seek legal advice.
Real estate standard contracts may look ok, but they are not suitable for every situation. We are trained to look for hidden traps and to alter, add in, or remove clauses to suit your individual circumstances.
Can I use DIY conveyancing?
The process of going through the contract process and transferring the legal rights of a property from a seller to a buyer is called ‘conveyancing’. There is sometimes confusion about whether to use a qualified conveyancer, a solicitor or go it alone.
While it might be tempting to download a Do it Yourself (DIY) package and save some money in legal fees, you might be opening yourself up to a more costly situation down the track. A solicitor’s job is to make sure the contract has conditions that will protect you, and we ensure that any special rules, such as deceased estate regulations, are applied if necessary. It’s important to be aware that if you use a DIY kit, you are still liable for any mistakes or oversights and you can incur serious penalties if the contract terms are not met and the settlement fails.
What about when I want to sell a property?
On the other side of the transaction, if you are selling a property, we highly recommend to contact your solicitor before you officially list the property for sale. We can assist you with the contract and commission arrangements with the real estate listing and ensure that you have checked for all the necessary details on your property title including easements and other information that you may need to know in order to sell the property lawfully.
Buying and selling property should be an exciting time. Using professional services will help alleviate conveyancing stress and ensure you can enjoy your new home without any paperwork pitfalls.