When should I instruct a conveyancer when selling my property?

A common question we are asked is, when should I instruct a conveyancer when selling my property? 

Most clients instruct a conveyancer when they have received an acceptable offer on a property. Whilst that is not wrong, there is a certain amount of administration and form filling to be completed before a contract is sent to a buyer’s conveyancer. We therefore encourage you to be proactive and have your initial paperwork ready, completed and a conveyancer instructed before the offer is received. Once you have secured a buyer, your conveyancer will then be able to issue the contracts straight away, without delay.

Another benefit to instructing a conveyancer before marketing is problem-solving. 

During your sale, conveyancers will use technology to check your title deeds are correct and accurate. With more technology being developed, more issues arise especially if the deeds have not been professionally reviewed for a few years.

What happens if there is a problem with your title deeds found during the sale? Your conveyancer will resolve the issue to the best of their abilities but some matters can take time to finalise especially if there are third parties involved. 

Common issues we come across are; name and property description discrepancies, the need to update a title deed if someone has passed away and issues with title plans - perhaps there is some unregistered land or some land was not previously transferred correctly.

Moving house can be a stressful experience and sorting out issues during the process can add to your anxiety. If you are thinking of selling your house, we strongly recommend that you instruct us before the property is marketed so we can check the deeds for you and advise you on the documents you should prepare for your buyer.

By being proactive and conducting your due diligence as early as possible, we will be able to help you save weeks in your sale and provide you with a smoother process. Further, by being proactive, you can show to the estate agent and prospective buyers how serious you are about the sale which might well give you an advantage over other sellers in your area.