A conveyancer plays a hugely important role in the purchasing of a property; it is their job to prepare the necessary paperwork (including documents such as the memorandum of transfer and the contract of sale), to provide you with information about the property that you're interested in buying, to liaise with the financial institutions involved in the transaction, and to perform the settlement process.

Given their long list of responsibilities, it is important to choose a reputable, experienced conveyancer who will be able to handle the complexities of the property purchasing process with ease. Here are two tips which should help you to do this:

Go for several consultations

Before you decide who to hire, it is a good idea to meet with at least two or three conveyancers in your local area. These consultations will provide you with insight into their level of expertise and professionalism, and give you the chance to ask them questions pertaining to your particular situation.

There are a few key questions which you should ask each of them. Make sure, for instance, to inquire about the type of properties they usually handle (a conveyancer who normally deals with commercial properties may not be the best person to hire for a residential property transaction), the fees that they charge and what approach they prefer to take to communication (for instance, do they expect you to call them, or will they contact you when they have updates?).

Additionally, pay attention to their level of attentiveness; if they seem distracted, extremely busy and are only offering brief, vague answers to your questions, this could mean that have a heavy workload. If this is the case, they may not be the right person for this job. If they're overworked, they could potentially end up making an error (such as forgetting to submit time-sensitive documentation) which could cause delays and disruptions to the purchasing process.

Seek out a conveyancing solicitor

If possible, it is best to hire a conveyancing solicitor, rather than a conveyancer who does not have a legal background. The former usually charge more than the latter; however, these extra costs should be viewed as an investment, which could ultimately end up saving you a lot of time and hassle.

In addition to offering a comprehensive conveyancing service, conveyancing solicitors can also provide you with legal advice which may help you to better understand the ins and outs of the property-buying process.  They may also be able to assist you with any legal problems that develop during the course of the transaction.

For instance, if a dispute arises between you and the seller, your conveyancing solicitor should be able to offer you expert advice on how to handle this situation without having to resort to taking the seller to court.