The Conveyancing Process
Found somewhere you love? Before you start picturing the furniture, there’s a journey to navigate from getting ready to buy through to opening the front door for the first time.
Buying a home can involve a lot of steps — from getting your finances and paperwork in place, to noting interest, submitting an offer, navigating the conveyancing process and finally reaching settlement.
So, if you’re buying a property in Scotland, what actually happens along the way?
Here’s our simple guide to the journey from house-hunting to welcome home.
Before you get started
Before you start house-hunting, it’s important to have a mortgage agreement in principle from your lender.
You should also be prepared to provide identification and the information needed to verify it, along with details about the source of the funds for your deposit.
Having these things ready means that, when you find the right property, you’re in a position to move forward.
Noting interest or making an offer
Once you have your solicitor and mortgage agreement in place, you’re ready to start looking — and, when you find somewhere you like, there are different ways to proceed.
You can note interest, which lets the selling agent know that you’re interested in the property and want to be kept informed of any updates. If enough interest is generated, the property may proceed to a closing date, when interested parties have the opportunity to submit an offer.
Alternatively, if you already have an offer in mind, you can ask your solicitor to submit it on your behalf. This can allow for more negotiation with the seller rather than waiting for a closing date.
In either case, your solicitor will put together the offer, including your proposed purchase price and details of your buying position — for example, whether your purchase is dependent on selling another property or obtaining a mortgage.
And then comes the moment you’ve been waiting for… your offer is accepted, and the conveyancing process begins.
1. The title deeds are checked
The seller’s solicitor will provide the title deeds for the property. Your solicitor will examine these and prepare a Report on Title, which sets out important information about the property, including the extent of the property and any conditions affecting ownership.
This is an important part of the process. You should read the Report on Title and the deeds carefully and raise any questions with your solicitor.
2. The missives begin
You may hear your solicitor mention “missives” quite a lot.
In Scotland, the contract for buying a property is formed through a series of formal letters between the buyer’s and seller’s solicitors. These letters negotiate and agree the terms of the purchase.
There’s an important point to remember here: until the missives are concluded, the contract is not yet binding.
Your solicitor will deal with the negotiations on your behalf and make sure the agreed terms are properly recorded.
3. There’s some paperwork to deal with
There’s also plenty of paperwork involved in getting your purchase ready to complete.
Depending on your circumstances, this can include Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) documentation and, if you are getting a mortgage, the Standard Security.
Your solicitor will also liaise with your lender to make sure the funds are available for settlement.
It might not be the most exciting part of buying a home, but it’s all part of getting everything in place for the big day.
4. Then comes settlement — and the keys!
Once everything is agreed and the purchase is ready to settle, the seller’s solicitor provides the Disposition, which is the deed transferring ownership.
On settlement, the purchase price is paid, the transaction completes, and the keys can be released to you.
Your solicitor will then arrange for the Disposition to be registered with Registers of Scotland.
And then comes the bit you’ve been waiting for…
The keys are in your hand, and you can finally open that front door.
So, what does your conveyancer actually do?
Quite a lot!
From checking the title deeds and dealing with the legal documentation, to negotiating missives and preparing for settlement, your conveyancer is working behind the scenes to progress the legal side of your purchase.
So, while finding the right property is a big moment, there’s still an important journey between “I’d love to live here” and “welcome home.”
And that’s where we come in. As conveyancing solicitors, we guide you through each legal step, keep everything moving and make the journey from house-hunting to getting the keys feel as straightforward as possible.
Ready to make your move? Speak to our conveyancing team today to discuss your plans and find out how we can help you take the next step towards your new home.
Home > News + events > Buying a home: from house-hunting to getting the keys
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Amy McKay
Buying a home: from house-hunting to getting the keys
Found somewhere you love? Before you start picturing the furniture, there’s a journey to navigate from getting ready to buy through to opening the front door for the first time.
Buying a home can involve a lot of steps — from getting your finances and paperwork in place, to noting interest, submitting an offer, navigating the conveyancing process and finally reaching settlement.
So, if you’re buying a property in Scotland, what actually happens along the way?
Here’s our simple guide to the journey from house-hunting to welcome home.
Before you get started
Before you start house-hunting, it’s important to have a mortgage agreement in principle from your lender.
You should also be prepared to provide identification and the information needed to verify it, along with details about the source of the funds for your deposit.
Having these things ready means that, when you find the right property, you’re in a position to move forward.
Noting interest or making an offer
Once you have your solicitor and mortgage agreement in place, you’re ready to start looking — and, when you find somewhere you like, there are different ways to proceed.
You can note interest, which lets the selling agent know that you’re interested in the property and want to be kept informed of any updates. If enough interest is generated, the property may proceed to a closing date, when interested parties have the opportunity to submit an offer.
Alternatively, if you already have an offer in mind, you can ask your solicitor to submit it on your behalf. This can allow for more negotiation with the seller rather than waiting for a closing date.
In either case, your solicitor will put together the offer, including your proposed purchase price and details of your buying position — for example, whether your purchase is dependent on selling another property or obtaining a mortgage.
And then comes the moment you’ve been waiting for… your offer is accepted, and the conveyancing process begins.
1. The title deeds are checked
The seller’s solicitor will provide the title deeds for the property. Your solicitor will examine these and prepare a Report on Title, which sets out important information about the property, including the extent of the property and any conditions affecting ownership.
This is an important part of the process. You should read the Report on Title and the deeds carefully and raise any questions with your solicitor.
2. The missives begin
You may hear your solicitor mention “missives” quite a lot.
In Scotland, the contract for buying a property is formed through a series of formal letters between the buyer’s and seller’s solicitors. These letters negotiate and agree the terms of the purchase.
There’s an important point to remember here: until the missives are concluded, the contract is not yet binding.
Your solicitor will deal with the negotiations on your behalf and make sure the agreed terms are properly recorded.
3. There’s some paperwork to deal with
There’s also plenty of paperwork involved in getting your purchase ready to complete.
Depending on your circumstances, this can include Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) documentation and, if you are getting a mortgage, the Standard Security.
Your solicitor will also liaise with your lender to make sure the funds are available for settlement.
It might not be the most exciting part of buying a home, but it’s all part of getting everything in place for the big day.
4. Then comes settlement — and the keys!
Once everything is agreed and the purchase is ready to settle, the seller’s solicitor provides the Disposition, which is the deed transferring ownership.
On settlement, the purchase price is paid, the transaction completes, and the keys can be released to you.
Your solicitor will then arrange for the Disposition to be registered with Registers of Scotland.
And then comes the bit you’ve been waiting for…
The keys are in your hand, and you can finally open that front door.
So, what does your conveyancer actually do?
Quite a lot!
From checking the title deeds and dealing with the legal documentation, to negotiating missives and preparing for settlement, your conveyancer is working behind the scenes to progress the legal side of your purchase.
So, while finding the right property is a big moment, there’s still an important journey between “I’d love to live here” and “welcome home.”
And that’s where we come in. As conveyancing solicitors, we guide you through each legal step, keep everything moving and make the journey from house-hunting to getting the keys feel as straightforward as possible.
Ready to make your move? Speak to our conveyancing team today to discuss your plans and find out how we can help you take the next step towards your new home.