Upfront property information backed by agents – but will it work?
Matthew Cumber, of Countrywide Surveying Services, says there is "broad acceptance that the homebuying process can work better".
Almost eight out of 10 property professionals believe homebuying reforms will deliver positive change, a new poll has suggested.
Countrywide Surveying Services found that 77% were confident about the impact of proposed reforms, while 18% were very confident and 59% were somewhat confident.
Only 21% said they were not very confident, while 2% believed the changes would never happen.
The more important question now is how we turn that ambition into something that makes a genuine difference to transactions.”
The poll was taken at a recent webinar that looked at whether upfront property information is the reform that the homebuying process needs.
It was attended by some 300 surveyors, estate agents, brokers and lenders
New Prime Minister
They were also asked if Andy Burnham’s appointment as Prime Minister made positive change in the housing market more or less likely.
More than a third – at 36% – said it made change more likely, compared to 16% who thought it was less likely. Almost half – at 48% – said it made no difference.
Matthew Cumber, Managing Director of Countrywide Surveying Services, (pictured), says: “What these findings suggest to me is that the debate has moved on.
“There seems to be broad acceptance that the homebuying process can work better, but the more important question now is how we turn that ambition into something that makes a genuine difference to transactions.”
Upfront property information
He adds: “Upfront property information, including condition reports are a good example. Simply moving existing checks or documents to an earlier point in the process will only get us so far.
“The greater opportunity lies in making sure useful information is available early enough, in a format that can be shared and relied upon by the different parties involved, rather than repeatedly requested as a transaction progresses.
“That requires lenders, surveyors, conveyancers, estate agents, brokers and technology providers to think about the process as a whole rather than improving individual parts in isolation.
“If reform can achieve that, there is a real opportunity to reduce avoidable delays while giving buyers greater clarity about the property they are purchasing.”
