Hiring a conveyancer is the easiest way to make buying or selling a home a successful venture. It saves you a great deal of time and energy and makes sure that the entire process is clear-cut and stress free. On the other hand, it is a lengthy and drawn-out process that many can find difficult or complicated. There are several legal process and steps you have to go through before the transaction can be completed. Moreover, there are also some legal and financial jargon that people find hard to understand. This article provides answers to some common questions people have about conveyancing. Once you know everything about the process, you will be more confident and relaxed about your business ventures.

1. When should I hire a conveyancer?
   It is important to hire a conveyancer or solicitor as soon as possible, once you decide you want to buy or sell a property. This means you can start the process sooner and the conveyancer has a head-start when it comes to handling the paperwork.
2. What is the difference between a conveyancer and a lawyer?
   A lawyer is someone who is trained to advise clients on their legal rights and obligations in a variety of circumstances, including the buying and selling of real estate and the conveyancing process. Meanwhile, a conveyancer is a person who is licensed to assist buyers and sellers of real estate through the conveyancing process, but cannot advise on areas of law that are beyond “conveyancing work”. Although a lawyer can assist the client with all legal matters associated with the sale or purchase of real estate, a conveyancer cannot act for the client if the matter moves beyond “conveyancing work“, or the client requires legal advice on areas of law which are outside of the “conveyancing work” but related to their sale or purchase. When this happens the conveyancer must refer the client to a qualified lawyer.
3. What is the completion date?
   It’s the day the money is transferred, you get the keys and you can start moving into your new home. The vendor and buyer should get the chance to agree this in advance. It traditionally has to be on a working weekday, to enable the money transfers through the bank and so your solicitor is available. Generally, completion takes place 28 days after the contracts are exchanged.
4. How do I find the best conveyancer?
   If you are tied to a specific mortgage lender, you can request a list of its approved conveyancers and choose from those. Or instead, use your existing solicitor or conveyancer or follow the recommendation of a trusted contact who has moved house but you may be charged by your lender if it uses its own, separate approved conveyancer. You can also consider using an online conveyancer as they provide speedy service at a fraction of the cost. Moreover, you can also ask friends, co-workers and relatives to recommend a solicitor for you.
5. How much will it cost?
   Conveyancing fees vary from firm to firm. Rates are generally competitive and firms will generally provide a quote. Costs includes a deposit, stamp duty, valuation fee, and legal fees among others. You will also have to pay the mortgage fees. It’s best to pay these upfront rather than adding them to your mortgage, otherwise you’ll be paying interest on them for the life of the mortgage. Moreover you will also have to pay the removal fee, electronic fee and the estate agents fee.
6. What does fixed fee conveyancing mean?
   Fixed-fee conveyancing means that you are able to pay a single amount to cover all of the conveyancing work associated with your conveyancing transaction. In the case of a purchase matter, the fixed-fee will be collected at settlement. In the case of a sale matter, a portion of the fixed-fee will be payable after the sale documents have been prepared, with the balance collected at settlement.