25% uplift on activity ahead of SDLT deadline – Rightmove
Rightmove say it estimates more than 550,000 homes are currently going through the completion process, an uplift of 25% compared with the same time in 2024; providing an indication of the current intensity of the market. Most of it’s other demand metrics are up as well compared with 2024; the number of new sellers is […]
Putting the Pieces in Place: Cost and Risk in Your AI Strategy for Conveyancing
In our first article, we introduced the six-pillar AI strategy framework—Vision, Value, Cost, Risk, Adoption, and Transformation—and highlighted why a structured approach is crucial for conveyancers. In our second article, we drilled deeper into the first two pillars, Vision (defining a clear AI purpose) and Value (measuring ROI and ROE). Now, we turn to the […]
Future of land use consultation seeks ‘national conversation’ on regeneration
The government has launched a consultation on a new ‘strategic approach to managing land use’ in England. A ‘Land Use Framework’ will use ‘the most sophisticated land use data and toolkit ever published in our country’s history’ according to Environment Secretary Steve Reed to support decision making around delivering infrastructure, housing and power. In a […]
Home ownership remains steady despite affordability challenges
Home ownership rates remained stable in 2024 at 65% reflecting a general trend over the last 10 years. Over half of homeowners own their property outright (55%), a figure that has increased by 1.3m in the period to 8.7m households. Much of this growth is in the 65+ demographic where the number of households owned […]
Scene set for interest rate cut?
HMRC transaction data from December suggests the scene could be set for a Bank of England interest rate reduction next week with the Money Policy Committee meeting on Thursday 6th February. Housing transactions were up 7% in 2024 and are now only 2% below their five-year average run rate, whisper it quietly, it seems we […]
Risk series launches for law firm managers and compliance professionals
A new training series aimed at risk managers, compliance officers and senior leaders in law firms has been launched by Today’s Media, the publishers of Today’s Conveyancer. It will be hosted as part of the extensive training available through Today’s Training; which provide ongoing competence/CPD training for practitioners through partnerships with industry experts. The Today’s […]
FoI request identifies shortage of planning officers hampering development plans
Plans to build 1.5m homes in the course of this Parliament could be impacted by a shortage of planning officers, with some council vacancy levels at almost 50% according to a recent Freedom of Information (FoI) request. The report, published in The Times, is drawn from a FoI request looking at 134 councils and suggests […]
Future proofing your firm is not just about technology
At the tail-end of last year, there was some interesting research released by TwentyConvey which looked at retention rates for conveyancers in England and Wales and questioned why they might be so low. According to the research, following an examination of close to 30,000 live sales transactions, ‘only 11% of the time did the selling […]
Google taken to task over fake reviews
Google has been taken to task by the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) over the ability of consumers to trust in its reviews. In response the search giant has committed to introducing enhanced processes to tackle fake and misleading reviews. It has also agreed it will enforce sanctions on organisations who attempt to benefit from […]
Nationwide warn affordability pressures remain ‘stretched’ but mortgage approvals up
Nationwide Building Society says mortgage affordability remains ‘stretched’ by historic standards with London and the South East the most affected areas of the country. The North of England and Scotland are the least affected areas according to a recently published report. Despite what Nationwide’s Senior Economist Andrew Harvey describes as a ‘modest improvement in UK […]
2025 – The year reviews take centre stage?
Firms who do not proactively engage with online reviews and associated platforms run the risk of falling behind their competitors who do and losing out on future work. The warning comes from online review platform ReviewSolicitors who have been tracking recent trends in online review management identifying the way search engines like Google respond to […]
Property market swings from sellers to buyers market
The property market appears to be swinging away from being a seller’s market toward being a buyer’s market, buoyed by rising stock levels and greater choice for home movers; a trend reflected in the latest UK house Price Index for November 2024. Growth in the number of properties for sale has begun to drive average […]
The LMS Podcast: First-of-its-kind Industry Pilot Results
Our 11th episode is a follow-up to the previous podcast, in which we introduced our industry one-of-a-kind trial, turning concepts into reality through cross-collaboration within the sector. Now, as we have progressed with the pilot, we are sharing some stats to highlight what we’re discovering, what we’ve achieved, and some of the challenges we’ve faced. […]
LMS Monthly Remortgage Snapshot – December Report
The latest LMS remortgage snapshot for December 2024 has been released providing insight into the current condition of the remortgage market. “All signs have been positive through the back end of 2024; the home-mover market has been buoyant, and remortgages bounced back towards the end of the year. However, has the new government stifled this […]
Foreign home-ownership up 2.6% year on year
Research has suggested foreign ownership of home in England and Wales is up 2.6% year on year, with Hong Kong, Singapore, United States, UAE and China making up the top five countries foreign owners reside. A freedom of information request to HM Land Registry by lettings and estate agent Benham and Reeves has revealed 189,793 […]
Homeowner demand up 4.2% on same time last year – Report
A quarterly ‘Hotspot Index’ by estate agent comparison site, GetAgent.co.uk, suggests an overall increase in demand for home buying over the course of 2024. GetAgent’s Hotspots Demand Index monitors homebuyer demand across England on a quarterly basis. Current demand is based on the proportion of stock listed as already sold (sold subject to contract or […]
The good, the bad and the awkward: What clients say about their first impressions of law firms
First impressions are critical, especially for law firms. Clients often approach with high-stakes concerns, looking for more than just expertise – they want empathy, professionalism and reassurance. The Law Firm Marketing Club’s What Clients Want 2024 research posed a key question: “How did you first contact the law firm, and what was your first impression?” Respondents […]
Rightmove predicts 1.15m transactions in 2025
The annual jostling around predictions for the 2025 property is well underway with Rightmove the latest to lend its thoughts on what the 2025 property market might look like. The headlines from the property portal’s predictions include an uplift in transaction volumes; a series of Bank of England base rate cuts throughout the year, and a […]
Market enters 2025 with momentum but proceed with caution – RICS
A fifth successive month of increased buyer demand will see the property market enter 2025 in rude but there is a warning from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors a reduction in market appraisals could see a slowdown in the opening months of next year. The data is taken from RICS monthly UK Residential Survey, […]
Change in the Property Market: A Conversation, Not a Revolution
Last month, I was at a digital conveyancing conference, where the excitement around AI and automation was palpable. In the front row, I watched as a product owner enthusiastically showcased new technology that promised to digest 300-page documents in seconds, delivering neat summaries of key findings. To my left, a conveyancer remarked wryly, “Reading through […]
