As I look ahead to 2024, I foresee transformative shifts in the property market driven by a range of initiatives, aligning with my vision for a more streamlined and transparent home buying and selling experience.
In my view, the introduction of NTSELAT Parts B & C Material Information Rules signifies a further move towards best practices in the property market. This move is not just a procedural shift; it’s a commitment to enhancing consumer transparency. I believe that providing practical, essential upfront information from the outset of the homebuying journey is not only beneficial but imperative for the consumer and conveyancer alike; fostering trust and confidence among buyers and sellers and bringing a higher level of certainty to each transaction, with the added benefit of significantly reducing the numbers of fall throughs and the cost associated with that. Currently around 28% of transactions are said to fall through according to the most recent statistics supplied by Rightmove, with an average cost to the consumer of up to £5000, not to mention the impact to the conveyancers still working on a no sale no fee basis.
A significant prediction close to my heart is the early integration of conveyancers into the home-moving process. I believe this strategic move encouraged and supported by the changes introduced by NTSELAT, together with the trials taking place for property logbooks, will start to bring clarity earlier in the process, alleviate the current perceived delay when the conveyancer is eventually instructed and start to breakdown and reduce the time taken currently post offer creating frustration and irritation. My vision is that this shift will elevate the conveyancer back to trusted legal advisor rather than the blocker and in turn allow them to carry out their work under less pressure and stress whilst still reducing the timescales of the transaction overall.
Then we move to my thoughts around data. With the increasing membership to the Open Property Data Association and adoption of the schema, this is an exciting time. The ability to be able to pass trusted data easily from one party to another which is more readily consumable and does not require constant duplication and verification at each point, from my perspective is a game-changer. It creates a single tech language for all parties to reduce confusion and compatibility issues, conveyancers can streamline their workflows by integrating the unified standard; it can also help them adhere to regulatory requirements more easily and ultimately lead to a more transparent and user-friendly experience for their clients. The implementation of trusted open data standards is not just about collaboration; it’s about creating a more interconnected and efficient ecosystem.
I anticipate the settling of interest rates as we progress through 2024. The stabilising of interest rates will inevitably bring with it more confidence and allow the conveyancing market to slowly but consistently recover and return to a much healthier market environment. Stable, reasonable interest rates will mitigate potential fluctuations and uncertainties, providing a stable backdrop for both buyers and sellers to make well-informed decisions and have the confidence to proceed.
The positive activity and collaborative working groups due to emerge from the Digital Property Market Steering Group (DPMSG) will also start to have an impact and drive engagement in 2024. I see this group as a catalyst for positive change, uniting key industry partners under a shared vision. The collaborative efforts set to unfold are poised to drive the industry towards a more cohesive and forward-thinking future.
From a personal perspective, PEXA’s continued investment in the development and growth of the PEXA Pay facility is both strategic and transformative. Building upon the success of our remortgage proposition, PEXA is moving towards sale and purchase transactions in 2024in our continued journey and commitment to invest in the future of conveyancing. In this move we will continue to seek collaboration, involvement, and feedback from conveyancers to ensure PEXA’s trajectory aligns with the conveyancing industry to deliver transformative change.
In conclusion, 2024 holds the promise of a transformative journey in the realm of property, and these predictions resonate deeply with my aspirations for a more transparent, efficient, and collaborative property market. As we navigate the future, these anticipated shifts reflect not only industry trends but also PEXA’s vision for the evolution of home buying and selling.
Angela Hesketh is Head of Market Development UK at PEXA
One Response
Thanks Angela,
Any predictions with the euromillions numbers? Probably got as much chance with those as predicting anything with the property market.