When it comes to selling your house, you’d want to save as much money as you can and where you can. This could be from fees you need to pay out, taxes and other costs which can arise when you are moving homes. So, with these costs at the forefront of your mind, you may also think about if you really need a solicitor to sell your house.
Technically, no you don’t have to have a solicitor legally, but you probably wouldn’t want to do it without one. If you’re feeling brave then you should know that you’d need to take care of all the work including searches, deeds, contracts, dates, and the list goes on and on.
What does a solicitor do?
There are many reasons as to why is a solicitor is important when it comes to selling a house. They’ll handle all your paperwork like deed transfers, contracts, and will liaise with your mortgage lender. They work with the buyer’s solicitor on your behalf and handle any issues which could arise like last minute changes to offers etc. They would also handle all the finances involved as well as a very long list of other things which go with selling a house. Its important to remember that some mortgage lenders insist you use a solicitor and if you’re selling a leasehold property then the freeholder may also insist on this.
How much does a solicitor cost?
When it comes to selling your house the cost of a solicitor is very important to budget for because they are often not cheap. The average cost of a solicitor when selling a house can be over a £1000 and if you’re buying then it can be slightly more. There are other ways in which you can save a bit of money like using a licensed conveyancer instead of an expensive solicitor and this way you’ll still have that peace of mind of having an expert on your side.
Solicitor vs Conveyancer
Conveyancing is the legal term for transferring ownership of a property. Ultimately both a conveyancer and solicitor do the same job. A solicitor is a legal professional and is a qualified lawyer. Most solicitors have an area of expertise, but generally they have knowledge on varied subjects and offer a range of legal services.
A conveyancer specialises in property but doesn’t necessarily have knowledge in other aspects of law, so this means they most likely cannot deal with complex legal issues. Conveyancers can deal with things like searches and mortgage completions and go through the usual property buying and selling process.
When it comes to finding someone to handle the legal stuff, it doesn’t matter if they are a solicitor or conveyancer. The most important thing is that they’re good at what they do and communicate with you throughout the whole process. When it comes to selling your house, it can really help to have a professional in your corner, this way you can enjoy peace of mind and a stress free approach to selling a house.
