Following new data showing property transactions are now taking an average of 205 days to complete, Iamproperty is urging the industry to remain focused on speed, security and transparency – for every type of transaction.

Currently, residential listings are at a decade high, and homes are selling faster than ever, with properties spending just 36 days on the market on average and 52% going SSTC within two months. Yet, this pace isn’t translating into quicker completions.

Jamie Cooke, Co-Founder at Iamproperty said that whilst this is ongoing, there are a growing number of buyers and sellers who are showing their frustration and voting with their feet by turning to auction for the faster completion timelines it offers.

He said: “Since pioneering the Modern Method of Auction 15 years ago, we’ve seen continued growth in both the market and consumer appetite. Undoubtedly, throughout that time, key moments have accelerated that trend.

“From the 2016 Stamp Duty changes and Brexit uncertainty to the COVID-19 lockdowns and the 2021 Stamp Duty holiday. In times of pressure, buyers and sellers have increasingly turned to auction as a faster, more reliable way to beat the delays of traditional Private Treaty transactions.

“The most recent changes to the SDLT threshold sparked urgency once again, driving a 24% year-on-year sales increase in March 2025. Since then, momentum hasn’t faded even with the higher rates of Stamp Duty from 1st April, with June marking our highest number of auction sales so far this year.”

Manual work

“Delays from outdated conveyancing, slow searches and manual processes continue to hold the market back”, added Jamie. “What a growing number of agents and consumers are waking up to is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Auction is already delivering faster, more secure sales. But it’s not just limited to auction.

“For Private Treaty transactions, agents using tools like movebutler to streamline onboarding and front-load Material Information are seeing real results. In a further effort to cut the delays to Private Treaty transactions, we launched Premium Conveyancing. This add-on service within movebutler gathers all the legal information, protocol forms and searches up front for a fast-track conveyancing experience which speeds up Private Treaty transactions by an average of five weeks or just 79 days.

“We can’t accept a return to the dark days of 200-day completion times, especially when the tools to digitise and streamline the process exist, and the possibility of speed for every type of transaction is proven. As the market continues to evolve, speed, certainty and transparency should be the ambition, if not the norm, for the benefit of everyone involved.”