New Landmark research explores where property professionals and home movers see opportunities for faster, more certain transactions.

The challenges affecting the home buying and selling process are well documented. Delays, uncertainty, fall-throughs and poor visibility continue to affect the transaction process. With the government’s home buying and selling reform roadmap setting out a programme of change, attention is increasingly turning to which workable actions will make the biggest difference.

To help answer what’s next for the sector, Landmark surveyed estate agents, conveyancers, lenders and home movers for our latest report, Property Transaction Reform: What the Market Wants Next. The report explores where friction remains in property transactions and which themes could help move the sector forward next.

In this blog, we take a look at some of the key findings.

The market is looking beyond the need for reform

 The research found that support for sector reform is strong. More than four in five property professionals (81%) agree meaningful reform of the home buying process is long overdue, while 68% believe there is now enough clarity to begin considering the operational changes reform may require.

However, 71% of property professionals said preparing for earlier buyer and seller commitment, including reservation agreements or binding contract-style commitments, would require significant or moderate change in their organisation.

For lenders, connected data could mean substantial operational change: 82% expect reusing verified property data through common standards and trusted sharing protocols to require significant or moderate changes.

The government’s reform roadmap has set out the planned next steps for home buying and selling reform; and the sector is now looking to clarify next steps on implementation.

Upfront information remains a major opportunity 

 One of the clearest themes running through the market research is the role of upfront information.

When asked which improvements would have the biggest positive impact on their productivity and business success, 72% of property professionals selected improvements grouped under upfront information and data readiness, making it the leading theme.  When prompted on the same topic, nearly three-quarters of home movers (73%) said there was something about the property or local area they wished they had known before making or accepting an offer.

Ben Robinson, Managing Director of Landmark Estate Agency Services, commented on the role of agents in bringing information to the start of the process: “Estate agents have an important opportunity to shape how a transaction progresses from the very beginning. Making transaction readiness part of the instruction process would give buyers more relevant information to make confident decisions, while providing conveyancers and lenders with a stronger starting point.”

Certainty is key to faster transactions 

 Property transactions are often judged by how quickly they complete, and gaining greater certainty is key to achieving that speed.

The research found that more than two-thirds of home movers (67%) experienced uncertainty or delays after their offer had been accepted, while 90% said avoiding unexpected issues would have helped them feel more informed, confident and in control throughout the process.

Among home movers who experienced uncertainty or delays, 46% found it harder to plan their moving date. The commercial impact is clear too; 74% of property professionals agree that rising transaction fall-through rates are significantly affecting business performance.

Rob Gurney, Managing Director of Ochresoft, highlighted the importance of upfront information for conveyancers: “Earlier access to accurate information would allow conveyancers to identify and prioritise genuine legal risks sooner, reducing unnecessary rework and giving clients greater confidence about what lies ahead.”

The hidden cost of chasing updates 

 Communication and visibility issues were the largest combined frustration theme for all stakeholders, selected by 61% of property professionals.

Notably, property professionals estimate that 34% of their working day on average is spent chasing stakeholders or responding to requests for updates.

Poor communication appears to be a particular frustration for estate agents. When asked to select their top three frustrations in their role within the residential property transaction process, 36% of agents selected poor communication among transaction stakeholders, up from 19% in 2025. This ranked second only to the time it takes to complete a transaction, selected by 41% of agents.

The next phase of property transaction reform

 This market research report, explores the practical priorities emerging from consumers and professionals across the transaction chain, including:

• attitudes towards property transaction reform
• readiness for change across the sector
• the role of upfront information
• the causes of uncertainty and delays
• opportunities to improve visibility and communication

Access Property Transaction Reform: What the Market Wants Next for the full findings, cross-market perspectives and expert commentary – including four priorities for faster, more certain transactions from property professionals and home movers.