Why do I have to pay up front for conveyancing in Washington?

If you are buying a property in Washington your solicitor will request that you place them with funds to cover the the cost of the conveyancing searches. This will be the total of the cost of the conveyancing searches. If any down payment is payable against the sale price then this should be needed immediately prior to contracts are exchanged. The final balance that is needed should be transferred shortly before completion.

My wife and I are buying a apartment in Washington. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a solicitor? On completion day we have to deposit our life savings into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our deposit?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

Can I be sure that the Washington conveyancing solicitor on the Nationwide panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Washington obtaining recommendations is a sensible starting point. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always advise that you speak with the lawyer conducting your transaction.

We expect to receive a OIP from Coventry BS this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Coventry BS recommend any Washington solicitors on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Washington solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Coventry BS through the process.

Me and my brother purchased a renovated Victorian house in Washington. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and Santander. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw two entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold with the matching address. Is it worth asking Santander to clarify?

You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Washington and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also question the position with the conveyancing lawyer who conducted the purchase.

Hoping to buy a property located in Washington and I am already nervous. I couldn't find anything specific about Washington. Conveyancing will be needed in due course but do you know about the Washington area? or perhaps some other tips you can share?

Rather than looking online forget looking online you should go and have a look at Washington. In the meantime here are some basic statistics that we found

I have miscalculated my finances and am a few grand short a 10% deposit on my house purchase in Washington , but I am anxious proceed. What can I do?

You can accept a lesser deposit. Many property owners will accept a lower deposit or even no deposit for a first time buyer or 100% mortgage. Be aware though that if you fail to complete you will still need to hand over a minimum of 10% of the purchase price regardless of how much deposit was agreed.

You can also agree a simultaneous exchange and completion as no deposit is required for this however neither party will be tied in until completion actually takes place and it can be risky if sellers change their mind at the last minute