Norwich property solicitors & lawyers - Buying a home process

Speak to us: 01603 625231

Making an offer
What you need to do		What we do for you
Plan your budget Speak to a lender (bank, building society) or a mortgage broker or IFA (independent financial adviser) about your borrowing limits and products available Agree an offer price with the seller and give us full details of the offer, the property and the proposed financial arrangements Send a copy of the survey report (required by mortgage company, but you can pay to have a more detailed report) to us, in case there are points that the surveyor would like us to check		Provide you with an estimate of our fees, including search fees, stamp duty, land registry fee etc Take your details and identification
Exchanging contracts
What you need to do		What we do for you
Complete all forms and provide all information to your lender or their agent (broker, IFA) to obtain your mortgage offer Send us a cheque for search fees		Receive the draft contract, title deeds and other papers from seller's conveyancer and examine them in detail, asking further questions about the property
Tell us about any queries you have about the property at the earliest possible point		If necessary, carry out further searches on the property eg environmental
		Receive the mortgage offer from your lender
Answer all questions from us or your lender promptly; let us know as soon as possible about any problems with finance, or the property survey		Check through all search results and replies to enquiries Prepare a report for you on the title to the property, highlighting any particular or unusual rights or obligations on your part
Read carefully and ask questions about our Report on Title		Agree timetable for exchange and moving date with you and the seller's conveyancer
		Request deposit monies from you
Send deposit monies to us
		Obtain your signature on contract, transfer and mortgage deed in preparation for exchange

When all documentation is signed, the mortgage offer is confirmed, the title is satisfactory for the lender's requirements and all questions have been satisfactorily answered by the seller's conveyancer, then 'contracts are exchanged' with the seller's conveyancer and the completion/moving date fixed. You are now legally committed to buying the property! If you do not complete, you will forfeit your deposit and be liable for all fees and expenses.

Exchange contracts – celebrate!		Exchange contracts – celebrate!
		Send contract and deposit to seller's conveyancer
Book removers		Prepare a 'Completion Statement' showing how all monies are being allocated for the purchase fees and taxes ('stamp duty')
Completion & Moving
What you need to do		What we do for you
Pay the balance required to us in good time for your move		Request the balance of purchase monies from lender for the day of completion
Confirm moving date and time with your removers
Confirm arrangements for handover of keys to the house with the seller, estate agent, or with us (it varies)		On day of completion, send the purchase monies to seller's conveyancer. Telephone you as soon as the money is received by them and the keys are ready for you to collect – normally before lunchtime
		Following completion, receive deeds from seller's conveyancer, pay stamp duty required within the time limit, register the transfer with the Land Registry and send the deeds to the lender
		We will telephone you to confirm completion and ownership of property. Timing cannot be exact especially if there is a chain of transactions
Welcome to your new home!

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We're very proud of the people who work at Cozens-Hardy and here's where you can click for an alphabetical list of our lawyers and executives.

If you have a legal question we will try to help you. If your question is property related, it's definitely worth looking at Philippa Rudd's EDP Homes24 column.

Philippa Rudd, head of our residential property department, is a regular columnist for the property supplement of the Eastern Daily Press.

Speak to us: 01603 625231 our lines are open Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm Email: lawyers@cozens-hardy.com

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