What Is Conveyancing? A Simple Guide for Home Buyers in Ireland

If you’ve just won a bid on Noodlz or are thinking about buying your first home in Ireland, you’ll hear the word “conveyancing” a lot. It sounds complicated, but it’s really just the legal process of transferring a property from the seller to the buyer.

In this short guide, we’ll explain what conveyancing is, why you need it, and what to expect next.

What Does Conveyancing Mean?

Conveyancing is the legal work needed to make you the new owner of a house, apartment, or any piece of property. It starts once your bid or offer is accepted, and it finishes when you get the keys and officially own the home.

The process makes sure:

The seller really owns the property.
There are no legal problems attached to it.
All paperwork is in order before you pay.

In Ireland, conveyancing is usually done by a solicitor (a type of lawyer). You can find more on this from trusted sources like Citizens Information linked below.

Why Do I Need a Solicitor?

Property law in Ireland can be detailed and difficult to navigate.

A solicitor:

Checks the title (proof that the seller owns the home).
Makes sure there are no debts, planning issues, or rights of way that could affect you.
Prepares and explains the contracts.
Helps with your mortgage paperwork if you’re using a loan facility.
Organises the final payment and transfer.

Without a solicitor, it would be very risky to buy a home. You could end up buying something you can’t legally own or sell in the future. There are many potholes one can fall into and solicitors take all the necessary steps needed to make sure you don't walk right into one of them!

What Are the Usual Steps?

Here’s what usually happens after your bid is accepted:

Instruct a Solicitor
Contact a solicitor to act for you. It’s best to do this early.
Review Contracts
The seller’s solicitor sends your solicitor a draft contract and title documents.
Property Checks
Your solicitor reviews planning permissions, maps, and checks the title.
Raise Questions
If anything is missing or unclear, your solicitor asks the seller’s side to fix or explain.
Sign Contracts
When everything looks good, you sign the contract and pay the deposit (often 10%).
Mortgage Drawdown
If you’re using a mortgage, your solicitor helps get the funds from your bank.
Closing Day
Your solicitor pays the balance, registers you as the new owner with the Property Registration Authority, and you get the keys.

How Long Does It Take?

Conveyancing can take anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks, but sometimes it’s faster or slower. It depends on things like:

Whether the paperwork is ready.
If there are planning or legal issues.
How quickly banks process mortgage paperwork.

Tip:

Stay in touch with your solicitor and estate agent and ask for updates. It helps keep things moving. Keep an eye on your Document Vault if your agent has set one up to see where the progress is currently.