Government House Buying Reform: Impacts & Guidance
With the Government’s proposed overhaul of the home buying and selling process hitting headlines, many homeowners and buyers are wondering what it could mean for them. While the intended goal is to make transactions faster and more transparent, the reforms are ambitious, and change on this scale will take time to bed in.
In the short term, disruption and inconsistency are inevitable. But in the medium and longer term, a more transparent and efficient process should benefit everyone. Those who stay informed, and work with experienced agents and conveyancers will be best placed to navigate the transition.
Expect disruption before improvement (The short-term)
In the immediate future, it’s likely to feel bumpy. Unless the Government is very clear about exactly what needs to be disclosed before marketing a property, there’s a risk that the early months could bring more confusion than clarity.
Some may move quickly to list properties, either to avoid potential additional costs or to complete before they’re required to disclose known issues. Others may do the opposite, choosing to pause and wait for the rules to settle, wary of inconsistencies between agents and local authorities.
That uncertainty may lead to a temporary slowdown and inconsistency in market activity. At higher price points, the situation could become even more nuanced.
Wealthier owners with complex homes; listed buildings, outbuildings, shared private drives, or intricate land titles, could face challenges in providing details upfront, and by default, greater risk if mistakes are made.
Guidance for sellers: Begin preparing now by gathering property information packs, title documents, planning consents, and any maintenance or survey records. The better prepared you are, the less likely you’ll face delays or disputes.
Guidance for buyers: Expect inconsistency and potential delays in the short term. Build extra time into property searches and lean on experienced agents and solicitors to help interpret the new rules.
Confidence should begin to return (The medium-term)
As the reforms settle, the system should become more predictable. The move towards greater upfront transparency and digitised information will likely restore confidence with the reforms having their intended consequences: improving the speed and ease of home moving.
However, as transaction times shorten (the Government has suggested around four weeks faster on average) this may not directly translate for larger, more complex deals. High-value sales often involve additional layers of legal, planning, and due diligence, so are not typically held up by the provision of the documents likely to be made mandatory.
Sellers will likely face higher upfront costs, details on exactly what must be provided before a listing goes live (professional surveys, conveyancing work, and/or compliance reports) will impact this outlay. Whether such costs feed back into property pricing and end up being burdened by the buyer will depend on the state of the market (a buyer-market, or seller-market) and when the rules are put in place.
Guidance for sellers: Treat these costs as an investment. Having a complete, verified information pack ready at launch will attract serious buyers and reduce negotiation risk.
Guidance for buyers: Expect a more digitally enhanced process and use that to your advantage. Clearer upfront information means less time wasted and more certainty when making an offer.
A more transparent, efficient market (The long-term)
It is hard to know exact impacts and, as always, the devil is in the detail. Yet, if done well, the reforms could genuinely improve how the housing market performs. By reducing the number of fall-throughs and wasted costs which currently affect one in three transactions. A smoother and more predictable market would benefit everyone once any extra costs will be absorbed and accepted.
Greater confidence should help increase overall market activity, especially as people begin to see moving home as less stressful and more reliable. A more liquid housing market could result in a more liquid labour market. Getting the housing market transacting has far reaching benefits, and if done correctly, this could be a small first step in the right direction.
Guidance for all parties: In the long run, these reforms should make moving home simpler. The key will be preparation, trusted professional assistance, and patience during the transition period.
Sources:
Home buying and selling reform - GOV.UK
House-buying reform plan aims to cut costs and time - BBC News
Home buying and selling reform - GOV.UK