The hidden cost of a cooling market: Title delays now carry a price tag – Ashley
Rightmove’s latest House Price Index shows asking prices fell by 2% this month, a sharper reduction than typically seen in August.
The market remains active, but buyers have more choice and sellers are facing greater competition than they did a year ago. In a cooling market, delays don’t just affect timelines – they can also affect prices.
Where progress slows
Buyers who have committed to a purchase expect to see progress, and sellers want reassurance that the transaction is moving.
When a title investigation arrives, the assumption is often that the work is complete – but that isn’t always the case.
For many conveyancing teams, receiving a title report is the beginning of another stage of work. A fee earner still needs to review the findings, assess any issues identified and satisfy themselves that the investigation is complete before the matter can move forward.
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That review process sits alongside every other responsibility they are managing. Title investigations wait in queues, priorities compete and capacity fluctuates depending on workloads, holidays and staffing levels.
The challenge is that while this work is taking place, progress can appear to have stopped.
When delays affect price
A buyer who agreed a purchase several weeks earlier may now be looking at a different market, with new properties coming onto the market, lower asking prices, and mortgage products that may have changed too.
Most buyers will remain committed to their purchase, but the longer a transaction drags on, the more opportunity there is for circumstances to change.
Where transactions have experienced prolonged delays, it’s not unusual for conversations about price to reappear. A buyer who believes the seller is unlikely to want to remarket the property may feel more confident asking for a reduction before exchange.
Equally, some buyers may decide to walk away altogether. In a market where prices are under pressure, returning to the market can mean achieving a lower price than the one originally agreed.
The issue is rarely the title query itself. The challenge is the time needed to investigate, review and resolve it. The longer that process takes, the more opportunity there is for a buyer’s circumstances or negotiating position to change.
Keeping transactions moving
Experienced conveyancers are among the most valuable resources within any firm – but when more of their time is spent reviewing investigations before it can move, bottlenecks inevitably appear.
Conveyancing firms can’t control market conditions, buyer confidence, or house prices, but what they can influence is how effectively transactions progress once a sale has been agreed.
Clients rarely see the work involved in title investigation, but they do see whether progress is being made and whether the transaction feels under control.
In a cooling market, keeping transactions moving matters. The longer a transaction sits waiting, the more opportunity there is for circumstances to change – and for delays in title investigation to carry a higher price tag.
