There is nothing quite like the excitement of buying your first property. However, the significance of the investment and the complexity of the home-buying process can often overshadow the pleasure of this experience for first-time buyers.
At Claphams Solicitors, our Residential Conveyancing Solicitors have helped many clients in Glasgow and across Scotland purchase their first property. We understand that you want clear, straightforward advice, regular communication and protection of your interests throughout the conveyancing process. Our lawyers deliver on all these points and help you have an overall smooth, stress-free and successful transaction. We are here for you as you take your first step onto the property ladder.
Please read on for the need-to-know information on buying your first home. If you have any questions or wish to instruct us for purchasing your property, contact us today.
Buying your first home – what is involved?
Noting your interest
Once you have found a property you want to buy, let us know and we will submit a note of interest on your behalf. This alerts the seller and their solicitor of your interest, allows you to make an offer before the closing date and means you will be informed when anyone else puts in a note of interest.
Making an offer
If you decide to make an offer, we can provide advice on what would be a safe yet persuasive amount. Our team have extensive property market knowledge in the areas of Clarkston, Newton Mearns, Netherlee, Giffnock, East Kilbride and the greater Glasgow area. This allows us to provide important information for your offer, including previous sale prices and the level of competition for similar properties in the area.
Negotiating the contract
If your bid is successful, the conveyancing process (the steps required to transfer the ownership of the property to you) begins. First, we will prepare a draft contract of sale and send this to the seller’s solicitor to review. They will usually respond with a qualified acceptance, which means they have made some changes to the terms in the contract. We will discuss these with you and make further tweaks if necessary. This process will continue until both you and the seller are happy with the terms. Once you have signed the contract, you are tied into the sale. It is very difficult and costly to back out after this point.
Searches, surveys and enquiries
During the contract negotiation stage, our Conveyancing Lawyers will review all the necessary information about the property and ask questions to the seller’s solicitor if there are gaps or uncertainty. This process is essential to identify any issues with the condition of the property or the surrounding areas and to ensure you are fully informed about what you are buying before you sign the contract.
We will look at the Home Report, the Title Deeds, and request Local Authority and other searches, which provide information on, for example, the quality of the land, planning decisions that could impact the property, environmental risks and water and drainage matters.
A survey of the property is included in the Home Report; however, it may be necessary to arrange an independent survey. This may be because the property has been on the market for a while and the information is now out of date, or if your mortgage provider requires that a separate survey is conducted.
Completing the sale
As part of the contract, you and the seller will agree on the date on which the sale will complete. You will get the keys and can move in on this day. Several steps must happen to finalise the sale, most importantly, the purchase price must be transferred from your mortgage provider to us and onto the seller’s solicitor. We work quickly and accurately to help this process go as smoothly as possible.
After completion
Following completion, we will carry out a few final steps on your behalf, including registering your ownership of the property with the Land Register of Scotland and paying your Land and Buildings Transaction Tax bill.
How much will the conveyancing process cost?
The cost of conveyancing depends on the complexity of the transaction, for example some may require additional searches. We will provide you with a quote based on the details of your purchase. You can be sure that, unlike many other firms, we will always be upfront and honest about our costs. Our quote will include all the essential services. We also do not receive commission on the reports we instruct, so you can be sure we will always search for the best deal for you.
How to choose the right Conveyancing Solicitor?
The fees are an important factor when choosing a Conveyancing Lawyer. As mentioned above, we provide an upfront and complete quote for our services. This is vital as it allows you to budget at what is an expensive time.
Local property market knowledge is also key. This insight can be invaluable to your transaction, helping you to pay the best possible price for your new home.
It is also essential to find a firm that keeps you informed and is responsive throughout the conveyancing process. This not only helps things to run quickly and smoothly, it will also reduce stress and uncertainty for you.
The firm’s reputation matters too. We are proud to have supported many first-time buyers in Glasgow and throughout Scotland, many of whom have returned to us when buying their second home, to write a Will and for many other of our legal services. Further, a significant number of our first-time buyer clients have come to us based on a recommendation or our online reviews.
Contact our Conveyancing Lawyers for Glasgow's Southside: Clarkston, Newton Mearns, Giffnock, Netherlee, Eaglesham, Carmunnock, Stewarton & Southside Glasgow
To find out how we can help you when buying your first property in Scotland, please contact us today on 0141 620 0800 or fill out our online enquiry form.
