Clarity

Clarity Clarity is a fresh new law firm, offering local and personalised residential conveyancing services to clients.

Buying a new build is not the same process as buying an existing property. If you're going into one, here's what you nee...
19/06/2026

Buying a new build is not the same process as buying an existing property. If you're going into one, here's what you need to know before you do.

The developer sets the timeline, not you! ❌

New build completions are tied to when the build is finished, and developers can give very short notice when a property is ready. Sometimes just a few weeks. Your conveyancer needs to be on top of it from day one, not scrambling when the call comes.

Your reservation fee is usually non-refundable 😬

Once you pay it, the clock starts on your legal process. Get your conveyancer instructed before you pay the reservation fee, not after.

You're reviewing a contract for something that doesn't exist yet 👀

On a new build purchase, you're often exchanging contracts before the property is complete. That means your conveyancer is scrutinising what happens if the build is delayed, what exactly is included in the specification, what warranties are in place, and what your rights are if things go wrong.

Schemes like shared ownership add complexity 🧐
If any government scheme is involved, there are additional legal requirements running alongside the standard conveyancing process. This is an area where experience genuinely matters.

Snagging is worth doing, and the timing matters ⏰

A snagging survey before legal completion gives you the strongest position to get issues fixed. After completion, it gets harder. Your conveyancer can advise on how to approach this as part of the process.

Buying a new build? It's something we handle regularly and we know the process well. Get in touch. 📞 01908 039 666

Most delays in a property transaction aren't caused by your conveyancer. But when you're waiting for news, it can feel t...
16/06/2026

Most delays in a property transaction aren't caused by your conveyancer. But when you're waiting for news, it can feel that way.

Here's an honest breakdown of where delays actually come from:

🏛️ Local authority searches — Some councils take 4 to 8 weeks. We can't speed them up, but we chase regularly and we'll always tell you where things stand.

🏦 Mortgage lenders — Formal offers take longer than people expect, especially if additional checks are triggered.

⚖️ The other side's solicitor — We can only move as fast as the other party's legal team responds to us.

🏠 Estate agents — Sometimes slow to pass on information or chase other parts of the chain.

📋 Management companies — Freeholders and managing agents can take weeks to respond to standard enquiries.

👤 The seller themselves — If they haven't started organising their own move, the chain can stall at the top.

What we control is how fast we respond, how hard we chase everyone else, and how honestly we keep you updated.

Buying with a partner, friend, or family member? You'll need to decide how you hold the ownership. Joint Tenants 🤝You ow...
13/06/2026

Buying with a partner, friend, or family member? You'll need to decide how you hold the ownership.

Joint Tenants 🤝

You own the property equally, as one unit. If one owner dies, their share passes automatically to the surviving owner, regardless of what any will says. Most common for couples buying together.

Tenants in Common 🤲

You each own a defined share, which doesn't have to be equal. Each person can leave their share to whoever they choose. Often used when buyers are contributing different deposit amounts, or when buying with a friend or family member rather than a partner.

If you're buying as Tenants in Common, it's also worth considering a Declaration of Trust, which is a legal document that records each person's share and sets out what happens if circumstances change down the line.

Not sure which is right for your situation? It's one of the things we talk through with every client buying jointly. Give us a call. 📞 01908 039 666

Around 1 in 4 property sales in England falls through before completion. Here's what causes it, and what you can actuall...
10/06/2026

Around 1 in 4 property sales in England falls through before completion. Here's what causes it, and what you can actually do about it.

A survey uncovers something serious 🧐

Some buyers panic and pull out immediately. Others use it to renegotiate on price. Getting a proper survey done early means you're informed, not blindsided at the worst possible moment.

The mortgage offer gets withdrawn or reduced 🏦

Lenders can and do reassess affordability mid-transaction. They can also pull products if their criteria changes. So please keep your finances completely stable throughout. No new credit. No large purchases. No changing jobs without speaking to your broker first.

Someone gets cold feet 🥶

It happens more than people admit. Circumstances change, another property comes up, nerves take over. Before exchange there's very little you can do to prevent this, which is exactly why moving quickly to exchange matters.

A search or enquiry creates an unresolvable problem ❌

Not every legal issue has a fix. Occasionally a property turns out to be unmortgageable or uninsurable because of something in its history. This is rare, but it's why we take the legal work seriously from day one.

The chain collapses ⛓️‍💥

One party drops out and brings everyone else down with them. You can't always stop this, but being ready to act quickly, whether that means finding a new buyer or restructuring the chain, can be the difference between saving the deal and losing it.

We've helped clients through all of these.

The ones who come out the other side are almost always the ones who stayed calm, stayed communicative, and had a legal team that didn't disappear on them. 🤝

Your offer got accepted. You told your family. You're already mentally arranging the furniture.But most buyers don't rea...
08/06/2026

Your offer got accepted. You told your family. You're already mentally arranging the furniture.

But most buyers don't realise that until exchange, the property isn't yours. 🧐

"Sold subject to contract" means a price has been agreed, but nothing more.

It's one of the reasons we always push to move through the legal process as quickly as possible. The sooner you reach exchange, the sooner you have real legal protection. 🙌

People talk about exchange like it's just a step in the process. It's actually the most important moment in your entire ...
04/06/2026

People talk about exchange like it's just a step in the process. It's actually the most important moment in your entire transaction.

Here's what's really happening. 👇

Until contracts are exchanged, either party can walk away from the sale. It's uncomfortable, but it's the reality of buying property in England and Wales.

Your conveyancer and the seller's conveyancer speak on the phone and exchange signed contracts. The completion date is agreed and locked in. Your deposit is then transferred to the seller's solicitor.

From this point, you are legally bound to complete on the agreed date. If you pull out after exchange, you lose your deposit. If the seller pulls out, they face significant financial penalties and you can pursue them for losses. 🧐

This is usually one to two weeks, but can be shorter or longer depending on circumstances. Use this time to confirm your removals, notify utilities, and arrange buildings insurance, which should be in place from exchange, not completion.

Every enquiry answered. Mortgage offer confirmed. Searches reviewed. Contract approved. We don't exchange until everything is in order. That's us making sure exchange day is the moment you've been waiting for. ✨

June is one of the most popular months to complete. 👀Everyone wants to be in before the summer holidays. Kids sorted bef...
02/06/2026

June is one of the most popular months to complete. 👀

Everyone wants to be in before the summer holidays. Kids sorted before September. Fresh start before the year is out.

The problem is, every other buyer wants exactly the same thing. 😅

When completions stack up, chains get longer, lenders slow down, and searches take longer to come back. The people who complete smoothly in June are almost always the ones who instructed their conveyancer early.

If you want to give yourself the upper hand to complete, instruct your conveyancer as soon as possible! 🙌

Your fixed rate is ending. Here's what most people don't do… but should. 👀Rolling onto your lender's standard variable r...
26/05/2026

Your fixed rate is ending. Here's what most people don't do… but should. 👀

Rolling onto your lender's standard variable rate is one of the most common and most costly mistakes homeowners make. Not because they don't care, but because nobody told them it was coming or what to do about it.

Swipe through to see exactly what happens when your fix ends, when you should start thinking about remortgaging, and what the legal process actually looks like. 👇

Inheriting a property doesn't mean it's automatically yours to sell, transfer, or move into. Here's what people get wron...
21/05/2026

Inheriting a property doesn't mean it's automatically yours to sell, transfer, or move into.

Here's what people get wrong. 👇

Probate needs to be granted first 1️⃣

Before anything can happen legally, the estate usually needs to go through probate. This is the legal process that confirms who has the authority to deal with the deceased's assets, including property.

There may be tax implications 2️⃣

Inheritance tax, capital gains tax, and stamp duty can all come into play depending on the circumstances. Getting proper advice early can make a significant difference to what you're left with.

It can take longer than you expect 3️⃣

Probate alone can take months. Add in title work, searches, and a sale… the timeline can feel relentless, especially when you're already dealing with grief.

The property market is behaving differently depending on where you are. Here's what we're seeing locally. ⚡️Nationally, ...
19/05/2026

The property market is behaving differently depending on where you are. Here's what we're seeing locally. ⚡️

Nationally, house prices are relatively flat. But the picture varies hugely by region, and what's happening in Milton Keynes isn't the same as what's happening in London.

💵 Price growth: The Midlands is outperforming most of the country right now. Affordability and demand are holding up better here than in the South East and London.

✨ Buyer confidence has shifted: Buyers are more cautious and more informed than they were two years ago. Offers are more considered, and negotiations are sharper.

⏰ Transaction times are longer: Delays are getting longer across the board because of longer chains, slower lenders, and a squeeze on capacity across the industry.

🫵 What this means for you: Whether you're buying or selling, getting ahead of the process matters more now than it did. The earlier you instruct, the better placed you are.

We're handling transactions every day in this market. If you want an honest view of where things stand, give us a call. 📞 01908 039 666

Address

Ashton House, Third Floor (West), 409 Silbury Boulevard
Milton Keynes
MK92AH

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+441604343343

Website

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