The Times Real Estate

.

The work of a conveyancer can relieve you of a lot of stress



The process of finding and purchasing your home can be quite thrilling but the amount of paperwork involved can also be quite overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what you are doing. The same cannot be said for visiting a FairGo casino login, which is considerably easier. When purchasing a property, a conveyancer will make the process much simpler. A conveyancer’s job is to sift through all the documents and red tape associated with buying a home and thus relieves you of the stress that is often involved in it.

There is a lot involved when purchasing a home. The process of moving the official ownership of the land or property to a new owner is the legal process of conveyancing. It involves preparing and checking through all the legal paperwork associated with the purchasing or selling of the property.

It can get complicated during the process, of which there are usually three stages: the pre-contract stage, the pre-completion stage and the post-completion stage. Completing each stage correctly and on time can be critical to the process reaching fruition. Not doing so can result in losing your home or any deposit you may have made.

A licensed conveyancer will provide a complete service, from beginning to end, making sure all the appropriate documentation is issued and is correct. Below is a list of situations where it is advisable to use a conveyancer:

  • Purchasing or selling land

  • Changing or updating a title

  • Dividing up land

  • Registering or changing rights to the use of land

They can also help with the following:

  • Arranging building inspections

  • Checking the property to ensure that all council regulations are in order

  • Preparing and checking the property sale contract

  • Organizing payments of monies involved in the property transfer

  • Doing a land survey to ensure that the boundaries of the property are as they should be.

It is important that you check that your conveyancer is fully licensed. You can check with the AIC, the Australian Institute of Conveyancers to make sure they are listed

Is it possible to do the conveyancing on your own?

In Australia anyone can do there own conveyancing, it is not a legal requirement to engage a licensed conveyancer. You may save yourself quite a bit of money doing it yourself, and there are kits that you can buy explaining the process. However, it is not recommended. The process can be a complicated one and not doing it well can have serious consequences. Doing it yourself may seem like a good way to save money but could end up being very expensive or even disastrous. Although it is an expense, a conveyancer is a professional and well-worth the money spent.

Is there a difference between a conveyancer and a solicitor?

Professional conveyancers are trained and accredited but they have very specific services that they are able to provide. Often conveyancers are also practicing solicitors. However, if they are not solicitors, they are not able to advise on issues regarding property law or help you with regard to the terms of the sales contract or matters of tax.

A further thing to note is that should there be some legal dispute during the process a conveyancer can’t resolve it; a solicitor can. But having said that, a conveyancer is an expert in his or her field, i.e conveyancing and for a solicitor this is just one of the many jobs that he or she does. Additionally, a solicitor is likely to be way more expensive, charging by the hour whereas a conveyancer will probably charge a flat fee.

What can you expect to pay a conveyancer?

The price can vary depending on whether the conveyancer is self-employed or is working out of a solicitor’s office. Not to mention that different rules and services may apply depending on the area where the conveyancer is located.

However, the price is likely to fall within $500 to 2,500 for conveyancing fees. However, there may well be other costs involved which fall under the category of “disbursement costs”. These may include:

  • A Title search - $20-100

  • A local council building certificate - $250

  • A local council S149 certificate - $53-133

  • Rates certificate for local council - $65

  • Land tax certificate - $20-25

  • Rates certificate, Sidney water - $20-25

  • A drainage diagram - $25

  • Dept. of Education - $20 - 25

  • Authority of Environmental Protection - $20-25

  • Authority of Roads and Traffic - $20- 25

  • Trangrid – electricity - $20-30

  • Mail, faxes, office stationery - $20-40

  • Certificate for Council pool compliance/non-compliance -$150-450

These costs are for NSW and are estimates. But it gives you an idea of the kinds of costs that you may need to pay. Make sure you get a detailed quote from your chosen conveyancer before they start working so there are no surprises.

How to go about finding a good conveyancer

Like in any profession, there are obviously good and less good conveyancers. The right one should do the following things:

  • Do a search of titles and records. Contracts and title deeds are hugely important papers and need to be thoroughly inspected to make sure that everything is in order and that there are no dubious terms or conditions that you may have missed. The conveyancer will make sure that the buyer and seller are both clear about their entitlements and obligations in the transfer of the property.

  • A good conveyancer will give good professional advice during the whole process and will not wait for you to ask for advice. A good conveyancer will walk you through each step of the process, advising you of the best course of action.

  • A good conveyancer will work quickly and efficiently. Much of the work involved in property sales is time framed and a good conveyancer will manage to complete the transaction in the time required.

  • A conveyancer will charge a fixed price and this is an advantage over using the skills of a solicitor who will likely charge you by the hour.