Finding a solicitor for buying a new-build property

spaniel-lover

Should I go with the solicitor recommended to me by the developer or do you think that it's best to find a solicitor myself? I not only have never required a solicitor before but the house I'm buying is in a completely different area to where I live now, I have literally nothing to go on in terms of recommendations from friends/family etc. I've never bought a property before. I'm a cash-buyer.

macman

You don't need to use a conveyancer who is local to where you are buying, not should you use the one who incentivises the developer to recommend them. Pick an independent one local to where you live now.

user1977

Never use the developer's tame solicitor, you want somebody on your side.

spaniel-lover

Oh that's interesting, I'd assumed that I'd need to use a solicitor close-by the house we are buying, there are a couple of solicitors near to where I presently live & they are both part of well-known established chains (I've never used them personally - I've never needed to), are these things all done via email now?

spaniel-lover

Just to add - the house is 300 miles away from where I live now - so it really is a long distance.

MorningcoffeeIV

As long as it's less than 305 miles away, it's fine...

p00hsticks

spaniel-lover said:

Oh that's interesting, I'd assumed that I'd need to use a solicitor close-by the house we are buying, there are a couple of solicitors near to where I presently live & they are both part of well-known established chains (I've never used them personally - I've never needed to), are these things all done via email now?

The reason that people suggest you have a solicitor local to where you are now is that it makes it easier for you to deliver or collect information in person (e,g they may want physical sight of your ID details such as passport and they will need at least one witnessed  'wet' signature on the exchange documents. These days you can do everything by e-mail and post but sometimes it's quicker to just drop things into the office yourself, and then you know they've got it. It also gives you an opportunity to sit down face to face with your solicitor at some point to go through everything and possibly sign the documents in front of them while they witness it.

spaniel-lover

This makes a lot of sense. We are cash-buyers & I know that solicitors want proof of where our money comes from (it's all legit of course) to make sure I guess that it's not the proceeds of crime. I absolutely do not trust the post as recently I ordered a tourist visa online for an upcoming trip abroad, the company (who are blameless) asked for extra money to cover signed for post, when the document arrived signed for was clearly stated on the envelope - yet the postman put it through my letter-box as if it were regular mail (and I was in the hall at the time so I know he did not even attempt to get me to sign it).

GDB2222

spaniel-lover said:

This makes a lot of sense. We are cash-buyers & I know that solicitors want proof of where our money comes from (it's all legit of course) to make sure I guess that it's not the proceeds of crime. I absolutely do not trust the post as recently I ordered a tourist visa online for an upcoming trip abroad, the company (who are blameless) asked for extra money to cover signed for post, when the document arrived signed for was clearly stated on the envelope - yet the postman put it through my letter-box as if it were regular mail (and I was in the hall at the time so I know he did not even attempt to get me to sign it).

Do bear in mind that your local solicitor will never get to see the property or the site, and won’t know the area. So, if there are big changes taking place locally, the solicitors simply won’t know about them, unless they show up on searches. So, you need to do your own research, and stay informed about local affairs. For example, get hold of the local newspapers. Check the planning portal at the local council. …

JMA74

GDB2222 said:

spaniel-lover said:

This makes a lot of sense. We are cash-buyers & I know that solicitors want proof of where our money comes from (it's all legit of course) to make sure I guess that it's not the proceeds of crime. I absolutely do not trust the post as recently I ordered a tourist visa online for an upcoming trip abroad, the company (who are blameless) asked for extra money to cover signed for post, when the document arrived signed for was clearly stated on the envelope - yet the postman put it through my letter-box as if it were regular mail (and I was in the hall at the time so I know he did not even attempt to get me to sign it).

Do bear in mind that your local solicitor will never get to see the property or the site, and won’t know the area. So, if there are big changes taking place locally, the solicitors simply won’t know about them, unless they show up on searches. So, you need to do your own research, and stay informed about local affairs. For example, get hold of the local newspapers. Check the planning portal at the local council. …

Very good point here.  A local to the property solicitor can have big benefits compared to a local to you firm.  For instance where I am in east anglia,  solicitors probably dont come across mineshafts that often as we are pretty much underwater already.   Do they know what to look out for if someone is buying a property in an ex coal mining area in wales or something?  Probably but I would be more comfortable with a solicitor that has seen the reports thousands of times and can advise accordingly. 

GixerKate

I would make sure its a solicitor who is clued up for new builds as there are different things to look out for, the solicitor doesn't need to be near you or the property, I only did a 70 mile distance (South London to East Sussex) and my solicitor was based up north somewhere (my solicitors were great btw, everything done via email, online portal and WhatsApp).

Keep an eye on the cost - there is often an extra charge for new build stuff that is often in the small print.