Residential Conveyancing Solicitors in Ireland

Buying a first home, moving house or changing your mortgage is a major financial decision. The legal process should be clear. Alastair Purdy LLP advises on residential conveyancing in Ireland, from the first review of papers to completion and registration.

We explain what needs to happen, what information is required from you and which decisions matter before you become legally committed. Our role is to deal with the legal title, contracts, lender requirements and closing documents, while keeping you informed as the transaction progresses.

For a first-time buyer, the legal steps can be unfamiliar. We explain the difference between sale agreed and a binding contract, review the title and contract documentation, raise appropriate enquiries and guide you through mortgage-related legal requirements. We will identify matters requiring advice from an engineer, surveyor, broker or lender, so the different parts of your purchase are properly addressed.

We advise on purchases of second-hand houses, new-build homes and apartments. Our work includes investigating legal ownership and title, checking the contract, considering rights of way and other burdens, reviewing relevant planning documentation and liaising with your lender where applicable. We arrange legal completion, stamp duty and registration. If you are selling one home and buying another, we can discuss the proposed timetable and dependencies.

We help homeowners prepare the legal documentation for a sale, obtain deeds, address title or planning enquiries, prepare the contract and liaise with the buyer’s solicitor. Where an existing mortgage must be repaid, we arrange the legal steps for its discharge as part of the transaction. Instructing a solicitor early can help uncover missing documents before a sale is agreed.

New builds and apartments can involve additional contract conditions, management company documents, service charge obligations and completion requirements. We review the relevant legal information and explain material provisions. A qualified surveyor or engineer should carry out any structural assessment or snagging inspection you require.

If you are switching mortgage lender or refinancing your home, we review the legal requirements in the loan documentation, investigate title as required and deal with the discharge of existing mortgage security and registration of new security. We coordinate the legal steps with your lender or broker and explain the documents you must sign. Financial suitability and interest-rate comparisons remain matters for your lender or financial adviser.

We also advise on transfers of residential property between family members, changes in joint ownership and other voluntary transfers. These arrangements may require lender consent, separate representation and consideration of tax and succession consequences. We identify when additional advice is necessary before documents are signed.

Contact a solicitor early and provide the property address, estate agent details, proposed purchase price and information about your funding. We explain the initial documents and identification requirements.

The seller’s solicitor provides the contract and title information. We review the papers, investigate the legal title and raise enquiries where needed. You arrange a survey or engineering inspection to assess physical condition.

If you are borrowing, your lender issues a loan offer and legal requirements. We explain the contract and legal commitments before you sign. For a typical private-treaty transaction, being “sale agreed” does not of itself mean that a binding contract exists. The contract becomes binding when the necessary execution and exchange steps have been completed. Different rules can apply to an auction purchase.

We coordinate legal requirements with the seller’s solicitor and, where relevant, the lender. We deal with the final searches, documentation and funds needed to complete the purchase.

On completion, the balance is paid and the transaction closes in accordance with the contract. We then address stamp duty and registration of title and any mortgage security, as appropriate.

As early as possible. A seller can begin assembling deeds and other property documentation before advertising the home. A buyer should seek advice promptly when making offers and before signing contracts or bidding at auction.

For a normal private-treaty purchase, sale agreed usually means that a price has been accepted, not that binding contracts have been exchanged. Auction transactions can create binding obligations immediately, so obtain legal advice before bidding.

Yes, a legal title check and a structural survey serve different purposes. We investigate ownership and legal rights. An appropriately qualified surveyor or engineer examines the condition of the building and other technical matters.

The timetable depends on the title, contract enquiries, parties involved, mortgage approval, lender requirements and whether other transactions are linked. We will discuss the likely stages and any known risks to the proposed completion date. A particular completion date cannot be guaranteed.

Alongside the purchase price, buyers may need to budget for legal fees, VAT, stamp duty, registration fees, searches, survey or engineering fees and relevant lender charges. The particular amounts depend on the property and transaction. We explain our fees and anticipated legal outlays in advance.

Yes, we can advise on the conveyancing and legal security aspects of a mortgage switch. Once the new lender’s requirements are available, we can explain the documentation, the steps needed to discharge the existing mortgage and the registration of the replacement charge.

It helps to identify where your title deeds are held and assemble available planning documents, certificates, guarantees, management company information and details of any extension or alteration. We can review what is available and identify missing items early.

A booking deposit is commonly paid to an estate agent when a private-treaty sale is agreed and is generally refundable before contracts become binding. A contract deposit is paid as part of the formal contractual process. The position can differ at auction, so obtain advice before bidding or paying money.

If you are buying, selling, moving home or switching mortgage, contact Alastair Purdy LLP with the property location, the type of transaction and any proposed deadline. We will explain the information needed to begin.

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