Moving home is said to be one of the most stressful events in life, but why?

 

I don’t suppose moving home is something that anyone decides to undertake lightly. You have probably put a lot of thought into preparing your home for sale, decorating and fixing those little quirks that you have lived with forever, spent months or years scouring Rightmove for just the right property, speaking to the estate agents in the location you have carefully chosen, researching the schools.

 

Then one day it all falls in to place. Sale agreed, you can go ahead and purchase that property that you had set your heart on, but the journey does not stop there.  The weeks that follow can be the most tense, excruciating, nervous time whilst you anticipate that magical moment “exchange of contracts”, when you can book your removals and tell all of your friends your moving date.

 

So how can you make those weeks easier for yourself and reduce your stress levels at a time when, lets face it, you already have quite a lot to do?

 

Its all about preparation and choices.  I’m not saying that you can completely eliminate the possibility of anything going wrong, no one can prevent life’s catastrophes, but you can ensure that you are organised and you will retain a much greater degree of control over your move.

 

So what steps can you take to ensure that you are prepared?

 

Gathering your Paperwork

Before you have even marketed your property start to think about the kind of things your buyer may want to know about it.

 

If there have been any home improvements start to gather your planning documents, your receipts and guarantees.  If you have had any electrical or Gas works carried out you should have certificates for these. If you have had windows replaced, you should have a FENSA certificate.

 

Consider whether you would like to have your boiler serviced for your buyer, no this is not necessary but is it something that your buyer would like, and therefore make the process smoother?

 

The point is, you are thinking about your property and preparing for the questions that will be asked when you get to the legal stages, and if you recognise early that the dog ate all of your guarantees, you have plenty of time to ask the installers to send you copies!

 

Preparing your finances

This may sound obvious but have you really looked into this in as much depth as you should?

 

Make a breakdown of all of the costs involved, and I mean everything, so that it is accurate and there are no unpleasant surprises later. You would be surprised how many times when people question the amount of money required from them to complete their purchase that they have forgotten to include stamp duty in their calculations!

 

Choosing the right solicitor for you

Who you choose to act for you in your conveyancing can have a huge impact on your experience of moving home, and whether this is a pleasant or unpleasant time.

 

Do your research. Ask friends what their experience was like. Ask for recommendations.

 

You need to know what you want from your solicitor and establish who can give it. Get on the telephone and speak to the solicitor. Do not limit your research to getting a quote. Email with a question, not necessarily a legal one, what you want to know is how you will be treated. Is your telephone call returned and your email replied to?  Are you happy with the content?

 

You must be satisfied not only that your solicitor has the expertise required but also the understanding and communication skills, and that you are “singing from the same song sheet”.

 

In summary

Gather your information, and choose who represents you carefully. Appoint your solicitor early, it will not cost you any more! Ask questions, plan in advance to enable you to better manage your move and reduce any stress involved.

 

Finally remember, prior preparation and planning of your move will prevent a poor performance (there is another p in there somewhere but I am a lady!).

 

By Deborah Fenton

 

http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/for-the-public/common-legal-issues/buying-a-home/

 

https://www.kiteleys.co.uk/personal-legal/conveyancing/moving-home-choose-kiteleys/

 

http://www.which.co.uk/money/mortgages-and-property/guides/buying-a-house/conveyancing/