All the legal support you need to buy your first house

Buying your first home is an exciting time, but it can also be incredibly daunting. There are lots of new and confusing things to get to grips with before you get the keys to a home of your own.

Our team of experienced residential conveyancing solicitors will guide you through all the legal and financial complexities to help you take your first step on the property ladder.

Discuss buying your first home

Steps of buying a house in Northern Ireland

If you’ve never bought a house before, there’s no reason why you should know the steps involved in buying a house. Our conveyancing solicitors have helped many first-time buyers to purchase homes and will give you as much guidance as you need.

We will help you to understand what’s happening at each stage and what’s coming next. As a guide to what you can expect, here are some of the key steps of buying a house in Northern Ireland.

Instructing your solicitor

Once you’ve had an offer accepted, you need to find a residential conveyancing solicitor. After a free initial consultation, you will be able to instruct us to act on your behalf in the purchase of your home.

Carrying out a property survey

The next step is to arrange a survey of the property. Your mortgage lender will carry out their own property survey to make sure they’re happy with everything. You might want to arrange a more detailed survey of your own to check for any serious problems or structural damage.

Conducting property searches

At this stage, your conveyancing solicitor will perform a series of searches and checks to find any potential issues with the property or vendor. These searches will include enquiries with organisations such as the local authority, NI Water, DFI Roads, Statutory Charges Register, Land & Property Services, and the Enforcement of Judgments Office.

Drafting and reviewing contract

Next, your conveyancing solicitor will liaise with the vendor’s solicitor to finalise the contract to buy your first home. Our property solicitors work to ensure the paperwork is in line with your expectations and protects your interests.

Signing contracts

Once the contracts are agreed and exchanged, you will sign the offer to purchase documents and the vendor will sign to accept your offer. Other than the signature itself, we will handle every aspect of the paperwork for you.

Completing on your first home

The really exciting part comes next. We will liaise with the vendor’s solicitor to agree a date for completion. We will finalise all the logistics to ensure a smooth handover. Your conveyancing solicitor will manage the transfer of funds to the vendor and arrange for you to get the keys to your first home.

Post-completion paperwork

Our work doesn’t start when you get your keys. We take care of all the outstanding paperwork for you, including the title deeds and stamp duty documents. In the meantime, you can start making yourself at home.

Why choose H McPartland & Sons Solicitors when buying your first home?

We’ve been helping people buy their first homes in Lisburn and Lurgan since 1949. In that time, we’ve built an unrivalled knowledge of the local property market and strong relationships with many local estate agents.

When you choose us as your conveyancing solicitors, we bring all of that local knowledge and legal expertise to help you get on the property ladder.

We have offices in Lurgan and Lisburn, so you can call in to get all the guidance you need on your house purchase. Both offices have ample car parking. Alternatively, get in touch to arrange a phone appointment or home visit.

Your initial consultation is free, and you’re under no obligation to proceed. Talk to us about your plans and how we can help you get into your new home at the earliest opportunity.