Selling your UK house from Australia
#1
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: The "Gong"
Posts: 433
Selling your UK house from Australia
I'm looking for advice from people that have experience in this.
How did you do it from a distance ?
Its been many years since we last sold a house and I can't remember if you need funds in place to pay for solicitors etc, or whether they take their cut after everything is finished
Any advice or comments would be most appreciative
Stu
How did you do it from a distance ?
Its been many years since we last sold a house and I can't remember if you need funds in place to pay for solicitors etc, or whether they take their cut after everything is finished
Any advice or comments would be most appreciative
Stu
#2
Re: Selling your UK house from Australia
I have sold and bought a house in the UK from overseas. It was very straightforward really.
Some people talk about power of attorney, but I would never give anyone that myself, I want to retain responsibility for my affairs and there is no need to give anyone power of attorney. My solicitor just sent things to us that needed signing and we sent them back, we used DHL or similar for couriering papers.
You will need to pay for some things in advance, like a property pack, but most of the expenses will be taken from the sale proceeds by the solicitor when these are received. I always had a UK bank account so was able to make disbursements along the way very easily.
Some people talk about power of attorney, but I would never give anyone that myself, I want to retain responsibility for my affairs and there is no need to give anyone power of attorney. My solicitor just sent things to us that needed signing and we sent them back, we used DHL or similar for couriering papers.
You will need to pay for some things in advance, like a property pack, but most of the expenses will be taken from the sale proceeds by the solicitor when these are received. I always had a UK bank account so was able to make disbursements along the way very easily.
#3
Re: Selling your UK house from Australia
I'm looking for advice from people that have experience in this.
How did you do it from a distance ?
Its been many years since we last sold a house and I can't remember if you need funds in place to pay for solicitors etc, or whether they take their cut after everything is finished
Any advice or comments would be most appreciative
Stu
How did you do it from a distance ?
Its been many years since we last sold a house and I can't remember if you need funds in place to pay for solicitors etc, or whether they take their cut after everything is finished
Any advice or comments would be most appreciative
Stu
We sold a property in the UK and did it by giving power of attorney to our solicitor (who happens to be a close family friend)
There were a few hiccups (which were to do with the pathetic conveyancing system that England has, not the lawyer) but it all went through in the end
#4
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 237
Re: Selling your UK house from Australia
I have sold and bought a house in the UK from overseas. It was very straightforward really.
Some people talk about power of attorney, but I would never give anyone that myself, I want to retain responsibility for my affairs and there is no need to give anyone power of attorney. My solicitor just sent things to us that needed signing and we sent them back, we used DHL or similar for couriering papers.
You will need to pay for some things in advance, like a property pack, but most of the expenses will be taken from the sale proceeds by the solicitor when these are received. I always had a UK bank account so was able to make disbursements along the way very easily.
Some people talk about power of attorney, but I would never give anyone that myself, I want to retain responsibility for my affairs and there is no need to give anyone power of attorney. My solicitor just sent things to us that needed signing and we sent them back, we used DHL or similar for couriering papers.
You will need to pay for some things in advance, like a property pack, but most of the expenses will be taken from the sale proceeds by the solicitor when these are received. I always had a UK bank account so was able to make disbursements along the way very easily.
#5
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,576
Re: Selling your UK house from Australia
I sold a house in NZ recently and it was 99% via the internet. Only had to print off one documents that had to be signed and witnessed by JOP during the whole process.
Most documents I just received via email and if I had to sign them just printed them off, signed them, scanned and returned via email.
Most just wanted a reply via email.
Make sure the sol you use is internet aware (my first choice wasn't which caused a slight hipcup until I dumped him).
Most documents I just received via email and if I had to sign them just printed them off, signed them, scanned and returned via email.
Most just wanted a reply via email.
Make sure the sol you use is internet aware (my first choice wasn't which caused a slight hipcup until I dumped him).
#6
Re: Selling your UK house from Australia
I sold a house in NZ recently and it was 99% via the internet. Only had to print off one documents that had to be signed and witnessed by JOP during the whole process.
Most documents I just received via email and if I had to sign them just printed them off, signed them, scanned and returned via email.
Most just wanted a reply via email.
Make sure the sol you use is internet aware (my first choice wasn't which caused a slight hipcup until I dumped him).
Most documents I just received via email and if I had to sign them just printed them off, signed them, scanned and returned via email.
Most just wanted a reply via email.
Make sure the sol you use is internet aware (my first choice wasn't which caused a slight hipcup until I dumped him).
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Perth, WA
Posts: 125
Re: Selling your UK house from Australia
We did it once we moved to Perth, all done via email A decent solicitor and estate agent makes the thing much easier.
#8
Re: Selling your UK house from Australia
If you have already moved to Australia, there may be capital gains tax in both the U.K. and Australia, although also opportunities to offset one against the other. You may want to research if any taxable gain is being realised in either/both the U.K. and Australia as you will need to include on your taxes if so.
#9
Re: Selling your UK house from Australia
Stu, we are right in the middle of this process now. Our UK house is on the market and all dealt with via email between us, Estate Agent abd Solicitor. WE had copied and emailed back all our signed forms and sent the originals via Registered Post (5 - 8 days).
Hopefully the sale won't take too long, but we have allocated funds to pay mortgage now our Tenants have vacated, and the house is in a really good sales area (Hook, Hants) at the moment. As soon as it goes through transferring the funds here for the deposit on our first home in The Gong!! The quicker the better because right now the exchange rate is pretty good!
Hopefully the sale won't take too long, but we have allocated funds to pay mortgage now our Tenants have vacated, and the house is in a really good sales area (Hook, Hants) at the moment. As soon as it goes through transferring the funds here for the deposit on our first home in The Gong!! The quicker the better because right now the exchange rate is pretty good!
#10
Re: Selling your UK house from Australia
Stu, we are right in the middle of this process now. Our UK house is on the market and all dealt with via email between us, Estate Agent abd Solicitor. WE had copied and emailed back all our signed forms and sent the originals via Registered Post (5 - 8 days).
Hopefully the sale won't take too long, but we have allocated funds to pay mortgage now our Tenants have vacated, and the house is in a really good sales area (Hook, Hants) at the moment. As soon as it goes through transferring the funds here for the deposit on our first home in The Gong!! The quicker the better because right now the exchange rate is pretty good!
Hopefully the sale won't take too long, but we have allocated funds to pay mortgage now our Tenants have vacated, and the house is in a really good sales area (Hook, Hants) at the moment. As soon as it goes through transferring the funds here for the deposit on our first home in The Gong!! The quicker the better because right now the exchange rate is pretty good!
Indeed, the x-rate is good. Good luck.