How To Choose A Conveyancer

Posted on: 16 December 2022

A conveyancer assists real estate investors with the legalities of property transfer. Finding the right fit conveyancer can be pretty challenging. This guide offers some insights into how to choose a conveyancer. 

Assess the Conveyancer's Speciality 

Your immediate concern would be the conveyancer's ability to transfer the property you intend to purchase or sell successfully. Therefore, conduct background research to establish the conveyancer's experience. For example, if you plan to buy multimillion commercial property, check whether the professional has been involved in similar dealings. Remember, the conveyancer might need a team to assess the paperwork and conduct due diligence. 

As a general rule, you should consider locally based conveyancers. These professionals are well acquainted with local conveyancing laws, zoning regulations and building codes. As such, they can inspect the property and assess its documentation to ensure it meets the required standards. 

Examine the Conveyancer's Availability

Conveyancing is a time-consuming job. The conveyancer must meet with buyers and sellers, commission inspections, conduct background checks, organise mortgages and property transfers. Therefore, assess the conveyancer's availability before signing the engagement contract. For instance, how many hours will they dedicate to transferring the property? If possible, you should consider conveyancers that offer online services. This way, you do not need to meet the conveyancer regularly. It allows you to continue your daily activities without worrying about missing meetings with your conveyancer. 

Check The Terms Of Service 

Assess the conveyancer's terms of service. For instance; 

  • What measures does the conveyancer take to protect your confidential documents? After all, it would be unfortunate if unscrupulous individuals gained access to sensitive information such as your finances.
  • Does the conveyancer have professional liability insurance? It compensates you for the conveyancer's negligence.
  • What are the conditions of contract termination? Typically, the engagement contract should allow you to terminate the conveyancer's services if they are incompetent.
  • What are your obligations once you sign the engagement contract? For instance, the conveyancer could prohibit you from engaging the other party directly.    

Negotiate The Conveyancer's Pricing 

Make sure to evaluate the conveyancing costs. The best approach would be to ask the conveyancer to break down their quote. This way, you know how much they charge to apply for permits, conduct property inspections, draft contracts, secure mortgages and transfer deeds. In some cases, you could opt to work with conveyancers who charge a flat rate. Depending on the nature of the deal, the conveyancer could opt to offer a no-sale-no-fee contract. This way, you do not bear conveyancing charges if the deal does not go through.  

Share