What happens now?

~Beanie~

Can some kind people give me some advise on the house buyibg/selling process please?

My 75 year old mum is downsizing and has accepted an offer on her property. She has today been to view a small bungalow, liked it and put an offer in which has been accepted. She has lived here 40 odd years and doesn't know anything about the house buying process.

My mum's house is up for sale via an estate agent, the one she has offered on is being sold privately, no agents involved.

Am I right in thinking she needs to instruct a solicitor now and give them the details of the property she is wanting to purchase? Will they deal with the sale and purchase as my mum seems to think that the estate agent will sort out the sale side?

Many thanks, I have only ever bought one house, from a friend with no estate agents involved and no chain so I'm a bit clueless!!

Kynthia

Yes she needs to ring and get a written quote to complete the sale and purchase conveyancing. Preferably get 3 firms to quote and I would recommend picking a local trusted firm she can visit with question rather than an online conveyancing 'factory' even though it costs a bit more.

PasturesNew

Everything will be down to your mum (you) to sort out.

She will need to organise/pay for a survey (if appropriate).
She will need to choose a solicitor and tell the solicitor she's chosen them and tell the bungalow owner which solicitor she's using.
Then the solicitors will talk to each other.
She will want to do searches on the place she is buying (organised by the solicitor). When these come back she (you) will have a fat pack of information to read through.

For her sale, she will receive a big fat Property Information Form from her solicitor to fill in regarding her current home. It will ask lots of questions about the property and also what she's taking/leaving (e.g. light fittings, curtains, floor coverings etc) ... as well as scarey stuff like whether drains run across the land etc.

Get one solicitor to deal with both her sale and her purchase at the same time.

~Beanie~

Great, thanks very much!