In a recent opinion piece in Today’s Conveyancer, Daniel Hamilton-Charlton looked at how logbooks will form part of the higher industry standards.
Like it or not, conveyancers aren’t the first in the queue when sellers eventually get round to moving. On average once every 23 years or so home movers gird their loins and through gritted teeth call estate agents for the dreaded valuation.
As the first agent pulls up outside it becomes apparent that things have changed since the turn of the century. It all seems rather more understated and dare I say more professional than before with digital comparisons and property reports to wow people in to realising how amazing their house is; almost to the point that they might want to stay after all.
However, the oversimplification of the process is sold to the home mover hook line and sinker, who remains focussed on whether they have chosen the right agent, are they at the right price, how should they present their home for viewings and so on. To the homeowner, they feel that they have hit a home run and everything will be plain sailing. How wrong they are!
The industry, as a whole, is stuck somewhere betwixt manual and digital, new, and really old and to many it is quite a painful space to navigate. Fax machines and floppy discs still exist in our industry and many hope they will stay, lamenting the passing of the quill pen and causing chaos with chains. Granted there is block-chain, digital signatures, online ID/AML, and a demand for upfront information BUT HOW can you and your progressive conveyancing business promote positive change and really make a difference?