Residential Property

In every survey of ‘life’s most stressful events’, moving house comes out near the top. Our Residential Property team is here to help make the whole process of buying and selling as swift, smooth and painless as possible.

We act for buyers and sellers (in practice,  you are often both at the same time) across the whole residential property spectrum, including remortgaging, buy-to-let, freehold and leasehold. We also have specialist expertise in rural properties, which can involve complexities  such as private roads and drainage, rights of way and common land.

Whatever  you are buying or selling,  you will have the peace of mind that comes from working with members of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS), which sets the highest professional standards for conveyancing and service.

To discuss a forthcoming sale or purchase, or any aspect of residential property, please contact us.

Jill has been absolutely amazing and we can’t thank her enough. Her professional, warm and kind approach has been invaluable.

“Fantastic.  Thank you for everything.  Will strongly recommend!”

The service I received from Karl was excellent. He went above and beyond to help me through the process of selling and buying my homes and was with me every step of the way. Thank you.

It was an absolute pleasure dealing with Karl. He was excellent in every regard and I couldn’t be happier with the whole service. Thank you

I would like to strongly comment Mr Karl Smith for his faultless service provided during our rather complicated house move. He was always readily available and had a complete grasp of all the detail when required. His manner was friendly yet respectful and my wife and I had complete confidence in his advice and much enjoyed his company.

Once again a fantastic experience of conveyancing. Rosie is always leading the sale and keeping other parties in check! A huge thank you!

Just keep on doing what your doing – a highly professional service which manages at the same time to be relaxed and friendly – an excellent combination.

“Sarah was great and helpful and kind all the way through”

Thanks a lot for the outstanding support

Sarah was a most exemplary professional, who we cant speak more highly of. Response to any queries was super fast.

Jill was extremely calm. Professional and friendly throughout. Thank you

This is the third occasion we have used MacDonald Oates to buy/sell a property and we would do so again. Melissa is a superb solicitor – very professional and knowledgeable. She has always been excellent at communicating with us throughout the whole process, is very diligent and provides support and advice whenever it’s required. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Melissa and MacDonald Oates.

Excellent service throughout Sarah was always very helpful

“I felt that the service provided was above and beyond my expectations. E Mails sent in the evening were mostly replied to immediately. I would highly recommend Karl and his team.”

Melissa was absolutely brilliant at conveyancing for us.  By the time we have finished she will have carried out the conveyancing on 4 properties

I couldn’t be happier with the service Sarah provided. Thank you very much, you made the purchase of my first house a nice experience and I am for ever grateful.

Karl was very easy to work with and made the process of selling and buying a house an almost pleasurable process! Highley recommend

I would just like to say we received a truly professional service from Rosie and all the other people in the company we can into contact with.

Melissa was fantastic at what ended up as a quite a minefield. She handled it very well

Claire was wonderful throughout what turned out to be a more difficult than anticipated house purchase. She kept me fully updated and was very easy to get hold of. I was so glad I had decided to use MacDonald Oates for the conveyancing.

Very impressed by Melissa’s professionalism and efficient and would have no hesitation in recommending her services.

I dealt with Jill at the Petersfield Office. She is a real credit to your firm and I can’t sing her praises highly enough

Special mention should be given to Dan Drummond for outstanding service. He was very prompt in replying and kept me informed at every step of the process. A credit to your practice.

Rosie … a very lovely lady, most kind and helpful. Thank you so much for your understanding

I have used MacDonald Oates since 1959 and have been happy to do so.

Melissa was professional and very thorough…Thank you for your support

Jill is brilliant and amazing. Super lawyer extraordinaire. A first class credit to your firm….We will never use another legal firm.

Truly wonderful service could not have been better

It has been an absolute pleasure working with Claire Brown. I had a unique and quirky house to purchase and requested a prompt finalisation after previous unprofessional assistance, I cannot express how pleased I am with the outcome. She was extremely professional, kept me updated every single step of the way, explaining anything I was unsure of In a way I couldn’t have comprehended without her. And in my opinion done in a speedy way, with professional expertise and her personal touch, with all the t’s crossed and i’s dotted. Best move I made and highly recommended to anyone purchasing their new/future home. 100% A☆ from A.M. formally in Surrey, now Hampshire. And no, not ‘big bucks’ the expected amount for such services.

Sarah … we wouldn’t have got here without your diplomacy, problem solving and first class communication it has been such a pleasure working together, we will have no hesitation in recommending you where we can to new clients

“Jill could not have been more helpful.  She was a joy to deal with.  Perhaps I ought to move house more often!!”

Impressive service – more of the same please

Sarah Harris made the complicated seem easy. First class in every respect.

Karl is the most efficient professional and friendly solicitor I have met – highly recommended

“Sarah was a pleasure to deal with.  I would have no hesitation in recommending her to others.  Thank you”

Karl has done many property transactions for us and has always been excellent and very efficient. We have always found MacDonald Oates to be far superior to any other firm of solicitors we have previously used

Brilliant service as always. Many thanks.

Our People

Claire Brown Chartered Legal Executive
Melissa Hackett Partner
Sarah Rowden Partner
Karl Smith Partner, COLP and Head of Residential Property Department
Jill Williams Associate