The Wharf: Home Front – March 20, 2008

Q. Having never bought a property before could you run me by the procedure for the legal completion of the property?

A. Completion usually happens around one or two weeks following exchange of contracts. On the day of the completion if you have financed the purchase with a lender, those funds should have been drawn down from the lender by being requested by your solicitor. The funds will then be transferred from your solicitor to your seller’s solicitor. On arrival at the seller’s solicitor, they will then call your solicitor and confirm that they are now in funds and completion has now taken place. The seller’s solicitor will then call the estate agent to confirm to them that they are now in funds and completion has taken place, and most importantly confirm that they are now able to release the keys to the buyer.

This usually happens as a rough guide sometime between mid-day and 2pm depending on the length of the chain. Once completion has taken place the buyer then becomes the legal owner of the property and the seller will then need to make sure all the keys are with the estate agent for the handover.

“I have known Dawn in a professional capacity for a very long time, as we used to work together for a number of years. She has a comprehensive knowledge of the Docklands real estate market, but this is not her strongest point. What makes Dawn stand out as an agent is the effort she puts into every deal, the relationships she builds with everyone and the passion she has for what she does. Dawn and Gabriella have been managing my investment property for more than 3 years. I now live overseas and I feel so comfortable knowing they are really looking after my interest, whilst at the same time always being fair and transparent with the tenants. Nothing is big enough job for those ladies and everytime I say ‘thank you – I am so grateful for what you do’, the reply is ‘It’s my job’. I really cannot recommend this wonderful team enough!”

Daniela WeatherillOverseas Landlord

“We are incredibly happy with the service that Dawn Sandoval Residential provide. They offer a personal but very professional service, and we feel secure and confident with their management which is key when letting out a property.”

Amy Facey

“Dawn Sandoval Residential and associates have managed several transactions on our behalf, and each time they have gone above and beyond our expectations. We trust the team highly, and I honestly couldn’t recommend them enough.”

Neil Chinniah

“The Dawn Sandoval Residential team took the time to properly understand what I was looking for. At every stage of the process, I knew they were doing their best for me and valued me as a customer. I have no hesitation in recommending their services in the highest possible terms.”

Andrew Simmonds – Management Consultant

“Dawn Sandoval Residential offer a real personal service. Their response rates are excellent, and we have a sense that they care about our tenants and properties. We cannot recommend them highly enough.”

Cathy & Paul Betts

“Dawn Sandoval Residential have great insights into the property market in London and especially around Canary Wharf. They work very hard to understand their clients’ requirements, and we would highly recommend them.”

David & Ginette Marks