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| Published: 28th April 2011 |
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| by Kimberley Smith of Pickworths Solicitors, Hemel |
The bulbs are out, the garden looks beautiful and with summer just around the corner, Spring is the best time of year to sell your home according to Hemel based property lawyer Kimberley Smith .
Kimberley , who is based at Pickworths Solicitors, is seeing an recent increase in the number of clients seeking legal advice from across the area, bucking recent trends reporting a fall in homebuying.
Indications show the local property market is not as low as has been reported in recent national media.
Kimberley works for both buyers and sellers on a daily basis and takes a personal approach with clients to ensure their house move or other property transaction, goes as smoothly as possible as she appreciates this can be one of the most stressful times in life.
Says Kimberley : “This time of year is probably one of the best times to move as the days get longer, weather gets warmer and people start to see the end of the long winter months. Traditionally, there is a pick up in the property market around Easter and I have certainly started to see an increase in the number of people instructing a Solicitor having agreed a sale or purchase.
“It is essential whether you are buying on your own or with a partner, to know exactly what you are buying and where you stand legally as once the purchase has completed it is often too late to rectify any issues. Having professional support can help avoid some of the more common pitfalls that buyer’s can encounter along the way.”
Kimberley suggests the following top tips for those new to the conveyancing process or making a further house move to help make moving house simple this Spring: |
“Make sure your Solicitor or Licensed conveyancer will do the whole job without hidden costs – It is important to choose a Solicitor that will give you an appropriate level of direct contact and good sound advice . Some companies promise cheap package deals which aren’t always a good investment and could mean you will not always have direct contact with a Lawyer and with the work carried out on a daily basis by non-qualified assistants - which, will more often than not, result in slower service and a longer period to exchange of contracts. I often receive instructions from sellers that were not satisfied with the service provided by other firms or companies at the time they purchased and I often encounter issues that should have been resolved at the time they purchased.
“A Residential Property Solicitor’s job is different depending on whether you are buying or selling a property. For a purchaser, the Solicitor will check the legal title to the property and carry out searches and enquiries. Following completion, the Solicitor will deal with the registration of your ownership of the property at Land Registry and deal with Stamp Duty Land Tax
“One of the best means of finding a suitable Solicitor is through a personal recommendation, so ask friends and family who have bought a property in the area. Some law firms include client testimonials on their websites. You should be aware of all recommendations to use a particular Solicitor by estate agents, as often this is a paid referral. |
“In addition to conveyancing work the Solicitor will provide a report on the property to your mortgage lender. “In most situations your Property Solicitor can act for your mortgage lender, which can save you money. Beware some firms that will increase their legal fee for acting for your mortgage lender as well.
“Make sure that you know what your quote for legal fees includes. You will usually be charged on a fixed fee basis for conveyancing work, but beware some firms that will make additional charges for matters such as photocopying or taking your ID (which is required under Anti Money Laundering legislation). It is usual for a legal fee quote to state that if any unforeseen problems arise these will be dealt with through an extra charge, but you should expect to receive advance notification of any increase charge and a detailed explanation of what the increase relates to before the charge is made.
“Most Solicitors will ask for payment of money on account at the time of instruction, which for a purchaser is usually to cover search fees in advance. You will need to provide a deposit on exchange of contracts, which is usually 10% of the purchase price. The balance will then be due when you’ve exchanged contracts in readiness to complete your purchase.” |
Once you’ve chosen a Solicitor they will ask to see your identification documents, such as a passport or photo card driving licence, and two forms of proof of current address. This documentation must be provided at the start of the conveyancing process and is required by law, even if your Solicitor has acted for you previously, it may be necessary to provide your ID again. Your Solicitor will not be able to exchange contracts until your ID has been provided so it is best to get this sorted at the earliest opportunity.
If you do not live close to your Solicitors office, you can arrange for a Solicitor local to you to copy and certify your original ID for the attention of your own Solicitor. This means that you do not have to choose a Solicitor that works locally as most conveyancing work is now done by post and email.
Commenting on her work, Kim berley says “I love the diversity and challenges of property work, from supporting and acting for first time buyers, to ensuring an efficient transaction for property developers and taking block instructions from leaseholders. I enjoy achieving the balance in working in a fast paced environment whilst at the same time supporting clients. I get a great deal of satisfaction from ensuring that my clients are happy throughout, not just at completion, and I am pleased to often receive client and business referrals as a result”. |
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