Buying a home can be very stressful and complicated if you don't know what you are doing. All that fine print and mountains of paperwork required can be very time consuming trying to work out what you need to sign and do.

That is why you need a solicitor or conveyancer when buying a home. Conveyancers are people who specialise in the sale or purchase of real estate and handle all the legal documents making sure you comply with the appropriate laws. Solicitors can provide advice on the Contract of Sale.

An example is if you were to sell your house, the conveyancer or solicitor would prepare contracts and legal documents to transfer the title etc. However, if you were buying a house they would prepare all the documents and communicate with the mortgage lender and government departments in regard to contracts, stamp duty and registering the house in the new owner's name etc. Conveyancers are also responsible for doing land registry searches; this is to ensure you have the correct property and ownership. Most searches also reveal previous ownership, Council details, land size and more. However depending on the area you are living in, some Councils require further searches making it even more critical to have a conveyancer looking after your paperwork.

Generally, between the solicitor, conveyancer and the real estate agent, they deal with all the paperwork and talk to both parties, therefore there is no need for either the seller or buyer to have to communicate.

So how do you find a good solicitor or conveyancer? Well, when you are dealing with a lot of money, you want to make sure you have got someone who is experienced and qualified. Every solicitor and conveyancer charges differently: some charge a fixed rate, while others charge on the value of the property. Do not choose someone just because they are cheaper; and find a conveyancer or solicitor who is reliable, friendly and communicates well on how the process is going.

Also ask the conveyancer or solicitor to detail all costs that are associated with their services to ensure you are not caught out with any hidden charges that may arise along the way.

Some conveyancing documents can be acquired from online providers, saving you money, however you may require specific documents for your conveyancing transaction - do your research and ensure you obtain the correct documents for your needs.

Please note that the information in this communication is general information only and you should not rely on this information unless you obtain legal advice specific to your own requirements.