In the standard process for buying a home, there are multiple parties involved: the buyer, seller, estate agent, conveyancing solicitor, mortgage lender and many more if there is a chain. However, if the interested party is a cash buyer and doesn’t require a mortgage, does the process change at all?
Read more: Howells Solicitors’ Guide to Buying Your First Home
In short, yes – but only slightly when it comes to the legal proceedings.
How Does the House Conveyancing Process Change?
Usually once an offer has been accepted on a property, your mortgage provider will require you to complete and return a number of documents. This is done alongside the completion of initial paperwork from your instructed solicitor.
Once this has been done, your mortgage provider will ask you about the type of homebuyer’s survey you would like on the property and arrange for this and a valuation to take place. They will also send off the formal requirements so your mortgage in principle is transformed into an offer.
Obtaining this offer in writing can take weeks or even months during busy times. Without this proof of funds, the exchange of contracts and completion cannot be made.
When a loan is not required and the purchase is being made by a cash buyer, the process of enlisting the services of a mortgage lender is cut out. This will not necessarily speed up the conveyancing process, but it will eliminate the risk of delays caused by external factors.
Without the services of a lender, you may wish to instruct the services of a surveyor yourself. This will ensure that you have a valuation of the property and are paying what the house is worth. It will also highlight any structural issues that could negatively impact your decision to proceed with the sale.
At Howells, we encourage a ‘buyer beware’ approach as the ‘caveat emptor’ principle is applicable. This means it is the responsibility of the purchaser to run the appropriate checks and to ensure there are no problems with the property before completion.
Read more: FAQ Series: Can You Claim for Undisclosed Property Issues?
Discover Our Step-by-Step Guide to Buying a House
Have more questions about the process of buying a home with or without a mortgage? Then take a look at our visual guide to the process displayed below.
Alternatively, explore our conveyancing section and get in touch with our knowledgeable, conveyancing solicitors in Cardiff by calling 0808 178 2773 today.
