Are you thinking of buying a property? Perhaps you’re one of the lucky few who’ve recently accepted an offer on your house. Well, if that’s the case then you’re very shortly going to be faced with one of the most important choices you’re ever likely to make: who is going to handle the conveyance of the property? Who is best- placed to sell your property quickly and efficiently? Naturally you could put the matter in the hands of one of the numerous online legal firms who’ll offer you domestic conveyancing services at the cheapest possible prices. Alternatively you could go with your gut instinct and shop locally? The question you’ll have to ask yourself is who will offer the best level of service and professionalism?
Harold Stock & Co would strongly recommend that you choose the latter option and go with your gut feeling.
Obviously we would say that as we are specialists in this area and have been dealing with domestic conveyancing for years, but there’s far more to it than that. ‘Supermarket-style’ internet conveyancing services may appear to be cheaper, but where they often fail to deliver is in terms of pure personalised service. Buying or selling a property is the most important purchases you will probably ever make, therefore it’s vital to put the administration of that purchase or sale in the hands of someone you trust. Could you comfortably trust someone you’ve never met – a stranger – with this vitally important purchase, or would you rather deal with a local firm of solicitors with specialised local knowledge? We think we already know the answer and here’s why:
Local experience:
When you use a local specialist firm of solicitors, you’ll know they will have had years of experience in dealing with legal matters in your area: they’ll know the market and they’ll have had dealings with all the local estate agents. This specialised ‘local’ knowledge is priceless, and it’s definitely something you’ll never get from an internet conveyancer, no matter how proficient or highly qualified he or she might be.
Personalised face-to-face communication:
Many property transactions can be fraught with difficulties. If there are complications or unforeseen problems, you, as a buyer or seller, will want to be kept informed of these at every stage of the conveyancing process. So it makes sense, therefore, to use a local specialist solicitor who you’ll feel comfortable with: someone who speaks plainly, someone you can trust to keep their promises, and most importantly, someone who you can meet face-to-face. In short, what you need is a local firm of solicitors who’ll go that extra mile to ensure your complete satisfaction: they’ll regularly keep in touch with you, return your phone calls and provide a fast, efficient and effective service. How do you know your local solicitor is any more trustworthy or more efficient than their internet competitors? Well, you’ll know because they’ll have a list of clients who return to them time and again for these very same services.
What you see is what you get:
The problem with buying any service online is that you don’t always get told the final price until it’s often too late to back out. Take budget airlines for example: the initial price may be infinitely cheaper than the competition, but there are all sorts of hidden extras that you’ll only discover later when you’re already committed to buying. When you deal with a specialist local solicitor, you’ll know that the price quoted will be correct and will take into account the costs of local searches, Land Registry fees and other disbursements. With a local solicitor what you see is what you get. Some internet firms may initially charge a very competitive upfront price, but they’ll then add on all sorts of extras once the conveyance is completed; things like a lender’s legal fee, a stamp duty land transaction return fee and an early completion fee.
If you thinking of buying or selling a property, remember it always pays to think local. For further information about our domestic conveyancing services, or for more information about the other services our property team are able to offer, call Harold Stock & Co on 01457 835597 or email info@haroldstock.com
