Choosing the right Conveyancer

As with most professions, not all conveyancers are equal. Just as you would interview prospective real estate agents to sell your house, you should also go through the same process with the person or firm that will do your conveyancing.

How do I choose a conveyancer?

It is well known that the best referral is sometimes through people you know. So ask around and see if any of your friends and family have used a good conveyancer.

Once you have your list of prospective conveyancers, give each of them a call and ask a few questions to help you decide on one you’re comfortable with, who meets your purchasing or selling needs. Some conveyancers will specialise in different types of real estate, for example, apartments, houses, subdivisions and so on. Some of the questions you may wish to ask are listed below.

Questions to ask a conveyancer

• What types of property do you mainly specialise in?
• What will it cost – what are your fees and charges? What fees, and charges will I have to pay at settlement? Are there any hidden costs?
• Will you have to pay anything up front?
• How will you communicate with me and how often?
• On settlement day, what timeframes are we looking at? This can be important information to have if you are arranging furniture removalists and other parties.

When you have found a conveyancer, check their online reviews to ensure they do not have any bad client reviews.

Conveyancing isn’t the only cost of buying a home. If you want to get an idea of how much stamp duty you’ll have to pay on your property, try out our Land transfer (stamp) duty calculator | State Revenue Office (sro.vic.gov.au).