The Full Conveyancing Journey: From Offer to Completion
Our Step by Step Guide on How to Buy or Sell a House
🏡 The Full Conveyancing Journey
From Offer to Completion
Buying or selling a property is one of life’s biggest milestones. It can be both exciting and overwhelming, and one of the most important parts of the process is conveyancing.
Whether you're a first-time buyer or a seasoned investor, understanding the steps involved can help you move forward with confidence.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to the full conveyancing journey, from offer to completion. 👇
1️⃣ Putting in an Offer (Buying) / Listing Your Property (Selling)
Every journey starts somewhere...
✅ Buying:
You’ve found your dream home, but to have an offer accepted, your estate agent will ask for proof of deposit (screenshots of bank statements) and your mortgage in principle (MIP, AIP) and your mortgage broker. If you are selling a property to buy, they will contact your estate agent to confirm the sale of your property. Once accepted, you're off to the races!
✅ Selling:
You’ll work with an estate agent to list your property. Make sure to choose the right one: Make sure they have
📍 Strong local knowledge
⭐ Good Google reviews
📣 Active across property portals & social media
💬 Clear and regular communication
🗝️ Conducts viewings for you
Once listed, your agent will handle viewings and negotiations. When an offer is received, you can accept or negotiate the terms.
2️⃣ The Estate Agent Journey
Your estate agent is the go-to person throughout the process, and you should remain in regular contact with them throughout, whether you're selling or buying, as this ensures a smoother and more efficient process, helps maintain trust, and allows for better communication about property details and market updates. It's also crucial for keeping your agent informed about your needs and preferences, ensuring you're prioritized for suitable properties or viewings.
For Buyers:
They’ll guide you through viewings, pricing, and offers. Once your offer is accepted, they’ll coordinate the next steps with the seller and your solicitor.
For Sellers:
They’ll market your property, host viewings, negotiate offers, and liaise with your solicitor after an offer is accepted.
3️⃣ Choosing Your Solicitor 🧑⚖️
Once your offer is accepted (or your property is under offer), it's time to instruct a solicitor to handle the legal work.
📝 Tip: Choose someone who specialises in property law. Your estate agent will often have trusted recommendations — they usually have quicker access and better communication with them, too.
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4️⃣ The Conveyancing Process – Step by Step
🔍 Step 1: Initial Checks
Buyers:
Once instructed, your solicitor will request funds (around £3/400) for searches. Essential searches are conducted to check for any potential issues with the property, including local authority searches, environmental searches, and potentially water and drainage searches. More detailed searches are also available depending on where your property is, and your solicitor will determine which ones are required.
Sellers:
Initially, your solicitor will prepare:-
The contract of sale
This is a legally binding agreement between the buyer and seller that outlines the terms of the property sale, including the price, property details, and conditions. It's a crucial document that forms the foundation for the transfer of ownership and a seller’s property information pack.
The Stages of the Contract for Sale:
1. Drafting: The seller's solicitor prepares a draft contract based on the agreed terms.
2. Negotiation: The buyer's solicitor reviews the draft, raises any concerns, and negotiates changes with the seller's solicitor.
3. Exchange of Contracts: Both parties sign the final contract, signifying their commitment to the sale.
4. Completion: The sale is finalized, and the ownership of the property is transferred to the buyer.
🏦 If you’re using a mortgage, your solicitor will also liaise with your lender to ensure everything is in place.
📝 Step 2:
Once the searches are complete, the seller’s solicitor will compile a report on the results and send it to the buyer’s solicitor for review. The buyer’s solicitor will then assess the findings and may raise further enquiries based on the information provided. This can take several weeks.
If all questions are answered satisfactorily, the process can move towards exchange of contract.
🤝 Step 3:Exchange of Contracts
This is the legal commitment point!
Buyers: You’ll pay your deposit, and a completion date is agreed upon.
Sellers: Once contracts are exchanged, the sale becomes legally binding. On exchange of contracts, a completion date will be set, normally it is at least a week from exchange, therefore removals, etc, can be organised. When buying with a mortgage, the banks require five working days between exchange and completion.
🗝️ Step 4: Completion Day
Buyers: Your solicitor transfers the remaining funds to the seller’s solicitor. You get the keys—it’s yours! We will meet you at the property, hand over the keys, and make sure you are settled in. Don't forget to take your meter readings.
Sellers: Once funds are received, the property is officially sold. Time to vacate! Also, dont forget to take your meter readings.
📑 Step 5: Post-Completion
Buyers: Your solicitor registers the property with the Land Registry and wraps up the legalities.
Sellers: Your solicitor distributes the sale proceeds and settles any outstanding mortgage.
5️⃣ What’s Involved in the Legal Work?
Your solicitor handles the fine print so you don’t have to. Here’s what they take care of:
🔐 Title Deeds: Verifying ownership and checking for disputes
🔍 Searches: Checking for legal or environmental issues
📃 Contracts: Drafting and reviewing all terms
💸 Funds Transfer: Safeguarding money exchanges on both sides
6️⃣ Key Considerations Along the Way
💰 Financing:
Buyers — get your mortgage sorted early.
Sellers — ensure any current mortgage is ready to be paid off.
🏚️ Surveys:
Buyers should always consider a home survey to uncover any hidden issues.
⚖️ Legal Issues:
Occasional hiccups may happen. Your solicitor is there to resolve them.
✅ In Conclusion
The journey from making an offer to completing a property transaction is detailed, and many steps are involved. From choosing the right estate agent to hiring a competent solicitor, every part of the process is important in ensuring a smooth and successful transaction.
By understanding the steps involved in conveyancing, you can feel confident that you’re making informed decisions every step of the way. Whether you’re buying or selling, the key is to stay informed, work closely with your professionals, and be patient as you navigate through the process.
🎯 Ready to make your move?
Let us help you every step of the way! Reach out to our friendly team today.