TheMoveChannel.com give us their insight on what consumers are looking for during the conveyancing process.
Conveyancers are an essential part of the property investment process.
Everything from the price of a property and its fixtures and fittings to the planning restrictions attached to the estate need to be covered in accurate detail in the transfer of ownership contract. Without a conveyancer to draft the document and answer any questions the buyer or seller may have, the whole process is time consuming and can be extremely complex.
It is important that conveyancers live up to their clients’ expectations. Indeed, according to the Legal Ombudsman in 2012, conveyancing was the second most common type of legal service to be complained about, accounting for 15% of all complaints received.
This year, the UK government introduced new measures to stimulate the housing market. Help to Buy offers buyers of new build homes worth up to £600,000 a government-backed equity loan to help them purchase a property with as little as a 5% deposit. This measure, received with some controversy by the industry, has seen a growing number of first time buyers entering the UK property market.
With the process of buying a home radically transformed and more inexperienced investors lining up than before, conveyancers with a good reputation are more crucial than ever. The way to get a good reputation? Meet your clients’ needs, both buyers and sellers.
What do clients look for in a conveyancer?
For agents and developers working with TheMoveChannel.com, the online property industry is all about speed. Buyers are able to enquire about properties on the go, which means a transaction could be initiated at any time.
At the same time, the internet makes real estate more accessible to buyers, introducing a larger number of inexperienced investors to the housing market. Conveyancers are relied upon to be knowledgeable and exact, able to explain Help to Buy as well as the rest of the conveyancing procedure to the everyday man in the street. As planning regulations also undergo changes in the UK, an up to date familiarity with the restrictions on development is also expected.
The new opportunities offered by technology, such as social media, also make it easier for buyers, agents and developers to contact each other – and their conveyancer. With everyone connected at all times via tablets, computers and smart phones, the conveyancing industry must keep up with the times, responding to messages on the go as well as in the office.
Despite the rise of technology, though, TheMoveChannel.com’s clients also desire a more personal form of contact. One-to-one advice is treasured more than a call centre or remote service. By using technology to be more hands-on, conveyancers can hold the hands of uncertain buyers or sellers, forming a bond of trust that can allow important matters to be discussed freely and openly.
Together, these qualities encourage loyalty, no matter what the sector or industry. Whether it is 2013 or 2023, the conveyancing process will always be stressful for those involved. By being more personal, more available, faster and more informed, conveyancers can help to ease that stress, thereby improving their reputation and encouraging both new and repeat business.
This, in turn, can help clients to develop their own businesses. And that, more than anything else, is what TheMoveChannel.com’s clients expect.
