please get in touch for a conveyancing quote
Whether you are buying or selling a property, talk to us for your conveyancing needs.
If you are buying a home for the first time, selling a property or are a property investor, you can rely on us to help you through the conveyancing process.
Buying or selling a property requires important processes to be followed and decisions to be made. You need to feel confident you have chosen a solicitor who will expertly guide and support you through the transaction.
With 18 years’ as a Conveyancer, I have gathered vast experience in all aspects of conveyancing and residential property.
So if you are looking for someone to help with buying or selling a house, if you are re-mortgaging your home, or you need assistance with investing in a property and becoming a landlord, we would be delighted to help you.
So give me a call on 01234 608087, we can’t wait to help you buy the home of your dreams.
Shared Ownership
Shared Ownership is a way for first time buyers to get on the property ladder, by purchasing a share of a new build property or a resale house. It is also useful for mature purchasers to acquire a share of the legal ownership where they would struggle to afford to buy outright.
You need a mortgage, or capital lump sum to purchase for the part of the property that you own, and then you pay rent on the share owned by the housing association. As you are getting a mortgage for a part share, this allows for a smaller deposit, compared to if you were buying the whole property.
You can buy an increased share of the property through “staircasing”.
If you are looking to buy a shared ownership property, get in touch today for a conveyancing quote.
title deeds
Title Deeds are the official documents showing ownership of a property. These are now mainly electronic; in the past they would have been paper documents. Original paper deeds are normally stored by your mortgage lender or a solicitor.
Digital deeds have been used by the Land Registry since 1990, so if your property has not been bought/sold since then you will need the original paper version for the Land Registry to register it for the first time. It can be tricky if the original paper deeds cannot be found.
If your legal ownership is not registered, it leaves your property vulnerable to property fraud. I can help you register your legal ownership. Get in touch for more information.
Paying off a Help To Buy loan early
If you took out an equity loan to help you buy your property, but have the means to pay it off, then here are a few things to consider:
You can repay part of the loan, but the rules mean that you must repay at least 10% of the property’s current value. You can only part-repay in multiples of 10%.
Whether you are paying off the loan in full or in part, you will need to have the outstanding loan amount assessed, via a valuation by a surveyor accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. They will charge you a fee for this service. To find out more visit https://www.rics.org/uk/. I can recommend a local RICS valuer.
Once you have the RICS valuation you will need to send it to the Help To Buy agent. The most common agent is Target.
Download our step-by-step guide to repaying a Help to Buy Loan.
Transfer of Equity
What is a Transfer of Equity?
A Transfer of Equity is a change in the co-ownership status of a property. You may want to arrange a Transfer of Equity when:
You are married or remarried and wish to add your partner to the property’s deed.
You are divorced to remove an ex-partner from the deed.
Buy out a Co-owners share of a jointly owned property or change the percentage share of ownership.
If you are looking to arrange a Transfer of Equity, please get in touch and I can talk you through the process and give you a quote.
New Builds
The government’s Help to Buy scheme has meant that buying a new build property for first time buyers is easier because of the help with funding.
There are some benefits to buying a new build.
Most new builds mean you get to choose your kitchen, flooring, and bathrooms, so you can make your mark from day 1.
Most new builds will come with a guarantee from the builder and if registered with NHBC will have a 10-year warranty.
New builds can be more energy efficient than older homes.
If you are looking to buy a new build property, please get in touch for a conveyancing quote.
Part Exchange
What are part exchange home schemes?
Like a part exchange of a car, you trade the value of your property against a new build home. It’s basically a part payment towards a new build house. Rather than dealing with an estate agent, you will be dealing with the property developer.
Many of the major developers in the UK will offer a part exchange scheme, but their terms and conditions will vary so you will need to check whether your property qualifies.
Please get in touch if you need a conveyancing quote for a part exchange.
Equity Release
Equity release is a way of accessing the cash in your property, by taking out a loan secured on your home. You need to be over the age of 55, then you can take the money as a lump sum or as regular payments or a combination. There are 2 options for equity release:
Lifetime Mortgage
Home Reversion
If you are thinking of taking out an equity release product, you should take financial advice from an independent financial adviser. All advisers recommending equity release schemes must have a specialist qualification. Check https://www.fca.org.uk/firms/financial-services-register to make sure your specialist is registered.
If you have decided it is the right move for you, please get in touch for a conveyancing quote.
Remortgaging
Remortgaging can mean that you have better mortgage deals available to you – which means you might be able to get a cheaper mortgage deal.
Do you need a conveyancer for a remortgage?
If you remortgage with your current lender, by simply moving to a new rate or deal, it's considered a “product transfer” and requires no additional legal work. If it is a different lender, then yes, a remortgage will require you to have a solicitor or conveyancer, to help with the legal side of things.
Please get in touch for a conveyancing quote if you are looking to remortgage your home.