For a fairly straightforward sale of a house do I need to hire a professional conveyancing solicitor or can I save some money and do the work myself?
If you are asking about real estate in the US, the the answer is state specific. In my home state of SC, I can only record a deed that has been prepared by an attorney, and, I can only buy title insurance through an attorney.
Solicitor sounds British. What country are you asking about?
yeh conveyancing solicitor is a British thing, I actually found a good breakdown on the process at Property Advice Blog, which explains it all pretty simply for a first-timer like me.