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What Happens After Your Offer Is Accepted?

3 September 2026

Once your offer on a property has been accepted, the conveyancing process begins. You will need to instruct a solicitor, complete identity and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) checks, arrange your mortgage and survey where applicable, and allow your solicitor to investigate the property’s legal title, carry out searches and raise enquiries.
The transaction then progresses towards exchange of contracts and, ultimately, completion, when ownership of the property passes to you.
In England and Wales, an accepted offer does not normally mean that you legally own the property or that the transaction is legally binding.

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Step by step

The Conveyancing Process Explained: A Step-by-Step Guide

20 August 2026

Buying or selling a property is one of the biggest financial transactions most people will make. Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership from one person to another.
In England and Wales, conveyancing involves several stages, from reviewing the contract and carrying out property searches to exchanging contracts, completing the transaction and registering the new ownership with HM Land Registry.
Understanding the conveyancing process can help you know what to expect and where delays can occur.

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Shared Ownership and Stamp Duty Land Tax – 2026 update

29 May 2026

Buying through a shared ownership scheme can make getting onto the property ladder more achievable, but the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) rules are often more complicated than buyers expect. At Ives & Co Solicitors, we assist clients with residential conveyancing matters involving shared ownership purchases, staircasing, leasehold transactions, and SDLT considerations to help avoid costly mistakes and delays during the purchase process.

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Home Flipping Declines as Stamp Duty Bites

28 April 2026

Property market shifts can have a direct impact on buying, selling, and investment decisions. With experience in residential conveyancing and property transactions, Ives & Co Solicitors supports clients in understanding how market trends — including tax changes — affect their plans.

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Stuck in the Chain: Why Property Sales Are Slower Than Ever

6 March 2026

With ongoing reports that property transaction times remain unacceptably long, understanding the causes — and how to minimise delays — is more important than ever. Recent commentary from Propertymark highlights continued frustration across the property sector, with transaction timelines still stretching well beyond what many would consider reasonable.

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Nationwide Accepts E-Signatures: What This Means for Property Buyers and Sellers in 2026

26 February 2026

With digital processes evolving rapidly, staying informed can make a real difference to how quickly and smoothly your purchase or remortgage completes.
A major shift has just taken place.
Nationwide Building Society has become the first UK lender to accept Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) on mortgage deeds — removing the need for traditional wet-ink signatures and witnessed paperwork.

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