Conveyancing is the legal word used to describe the legal process of buying, selling, and mortgaging or re-mortgaging of property. Buying property can be a joyful time in a client’s life and is often the biggest single investment that a person can make in their lifetime. It can also be stressful and hectic and it is essential that you are guided through the process so that you can avoid delays, frustration, and/or disappointment. We deal with all aspects of residential property transactions, including the mortgaging and refinancing of residential property, sale and purchase, transfers by gift or following death or divorce, planning issues, and Landlord and Tenant advice. 

 

Stafford Legal provides a solicitor-led service aimed at achieving completion of the transaction quickly, cost-effectively and importantly with all the issues resolved successfully. We explain the various stages and documentation involved to you and we will update you as the transaction progresses. We offer a premium service and will be upfront and honest about professional and other outlays in each transaction.

 

If you would like more information in relation to buying or selling property please contact Stafford Legal and we invite you to review our “Top Tips” for getting ready to sell or indeed purchase property in order to make the legal transfer of property go as smoothly as possible.

 

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Top Tips for getting ready for Sale (*a non-exhaustive list) 

 

• Obtain a Building Energy Rating (BER) Certificate for the property. 

• Discharge all Local Property Tax and obtain an updated Local Property Tax (LPT) printout. Refer to revenue’s website, www.revenue.ie

• Importantly, inform your legal advisor at Stafford Legal about any extensions/alterations to identify if an architect's Certificate of Compliance or Exemption is needed.

• Apply to the local authority for your Certificate of Discharge / Exemption from Non- Principal Private Residency charge (NPPR). This charge was liable to be discharged between 2009 - 2013 inclusive. 

• You will need to furnish us with a  receipt for your Household charge applicable.

• Have your Mortgage Account Number & Providers' details ready and to hand. We will then write to your mortgage provider to take the Deeds of your property up by Accountable Trust and also to write to the mortgage provider for the redemption figures in order to discharge the mortgage out of the purchase funds.

• Indicate whether your property is in negative equity!

• Provide us with your PPSN and Tax Type.

• Provide us with your Bank Account Details. 

• Provide us with the name and contact details of your Estate Agent. 

• You might start thinking about those items, such as furniture and white goods (Fridge, Microwave, or Washing Machine for example) that you might like to include in the sale and those that might be sol to the purchaser outside of the property transaction.

• Indicate whether the services to the property such as sewage are serviced by a septic tank and you might furnish us with the appropriate certificate from the local authority.

• Is there a Management Company in place? What is your annual Management Company charge and have your annual fees been discharged in full? Provide details of the Management Company!

• Are you currently residing in the property or is it vacant? Are there tenants residing in the property? Have you given them sufficient and proper notice to leave and will they vacate the premises prior to closing? 

• Indicate whether your property has ever been flooded? Has insurance cover ever been utilised and/or been refused?

• Indicate whether there have been any boundary disputes or ownership disputes with any other persons.

• Is there a need for other persons to give consent for the sale of the property? Are you married, divorced, cohabiting? You might furnish us with evidence of a Divorce Decree, Marriage Certificate, co-ownership/cohabitation agreement as necessary. 

• Indicate whether you have any judgments against you and whether there are any judgment mortgages charged against the property in sale. 

• Indicate whether there are any rights of way to the property?

• Were there any electrical works undertaken on the property that would require a certificate from a qualified electrician. This is not strictly a title document but is often requested by purchasers. 

• Indicate whether the house is heated by oil, gas, solar, geothermal or other forms of power and are in working order. 

• Was the property recently insulated?

• Is there a car parking space included in the property or is there communal parking or do you rent a car parking space from the Management Company or Builder?

• Indicate your intended closing date to your legal advisor at Stafford Legal. 

• You will need to attend to the transfer of services and terminate your connections to electricity, post, telephone number and take appropriate readings etc. 

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Top Tips for getting ready to Purchase (*a non-exhaustive list) 

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• Have you secured mortgage approval in Principle?

• Have you secured your mortgage?

• Identify your mortgage provider and how much of a loan you are drawing down and indicate the loan to value. This is the difference between the cost of the purchase of the property and the loan being given by the mortgage provider. 

• We will advise you to obtain a property survey and write to you in detail about the importance of the same.

• Indicate whether you are purchasing the property off plans, whether it is constructed or whether it is not a new build?

• Indicate how much of a booking deposit that you have paid to the Estate Agent!

• Indicate whether you are in funds to discharge the deposit monies and whether anyone has given you a loan or gift in order to assist with the purchase?

• Indicate to your intended closing date to your legal advisor at Stafford Legal.

• Have you sourced appropriate Life Protection and Mortgage Protection policies and if so provide us with details of same. 

• You will need to attend to the transfer of services and terminate your connections to electricity, post, telephone number and take appropriate readings etc from any previous property to your new property, if required. 

• Indicate whether you are a first time buyer as this has implications on the amount of deposit that has to be discharged i.e. 10% or 20% of the purchase price!

• Indicate whether you are a sole purchaser, buying as a couple or as a collective or as part of trust etc? You will need to indicate your status i.e. single, married, in a cohabiting couple etc as there are tax and other implications.