3 main things to consider when choosing a conveyancing lawyer in NSW

How do I choose the right Conveyancing Lawyer?

When you are buying or selling real estate choosing the right conveyancer is one of the most important decisions you will ever make in your lifetime. Choosing an inexperienced conveyancer could lead you to purchase a property riddled with issues or result in your sale not going through to finalisation. Buying or selling real estate can be complicated, confusing and stressful, especially if it’s your first time. Hiring the right conveyancing lawyer will simplify the entire process by taking stress and confusion out of the equation, allowing you to focus on other important areas (finance, moving, etc).

Here are 3 main things to consider when you want to choose the right conveyancing lawyer in NSW:

1. Experience & Qualifications

Every conveyancing matter is different and comes with its own set of issues that need to be carefully considered. Assisting a CEO who is investing in the development of a new commercial building for his business is vastly different to helping a young couple purchase their first home. When you are choosing a conveyancing lawyer you need to consider whether the law firm has experts who are experienced in your type of matter. You can do this by asking questions about the types of property transactions the lawyer has worked on in the past, reading the law firm’s testimonials or by doing research on the individual conveyancing lawyers who work at the law firm. As a general rule, the longer the law firm has been active and in business for, the more likely it is that they will be experienced enough to handle your conveyancing matter efficiently and effectively. To check the qualifications of the individual conveyancing lawyers you should always read their profiles on the firm’s website or simply search for their names on Google.

2. Location, Accessibility and Flexibility

The location of the law firm, how accessible it is and its flexibility should all factor into your decision to choose a conveyancing law firm. While not all conveyancing matters will require personal face-to-face interaction between you and the conveyancing lawyer, it does help ensure a smoother overall process if this can be achieved. As a general rule, you should always choose a conveyancing law firm that you could actually visit (or vice versa) if the need to do so arises. Therefore, whether you are located within NSW or buying or selling real estate in NSW, you should choose a conveyancing lawyer located in NSW.

Finally, the conveyancing lawyer should be accessible and flexible. The conveyancing lawyers should be reachable by phone and email, and be willing to meet deadlines and work around your schedule. You can typically get a good indication of how accessible and flexible the lawyer is in the early stages when you source a conveyancing quote from them.

3. Accountability & Transparency

The best conveyancing lawyers are always accountable and transparent in everything they do. This begins with providing clients with a clearly outlined conveyancing quote that is structured in a way that makes any fees and charges immediately clear and justified. There should be absolutely no surprises throughout the entire process. As a general rule, if a lawyer refuses to provide you with a conveyancing quote this is a clear indication that they may want to hide something. You can determine how accountable and transparent the lawyer is by asking for a conveyancing quote and following up with a series of questions related to how the quote is structured. However, keep in mind that in order for the firm to provide you with an accurate quote you will need to provide enough information to allow them to do so. There are many variables that impact upon the costs involved in the conveyance of a particular property. It’s not a case of “one size fits all”. There are lots of factors the firm needs to consider before being able to formulate an accurate conveyancing quote.