Uncertainty isn’t new to the housing market, but in 2026 it feels closer to the surface.
Affordability pressures, shifting mortgage conditions, and broader economic headwinds mean buyers and sellers are hesitating for longer and thinking harder before committing.
That hesitation has a knock-on effect for conveyancers. Transactions take longer to progress, confidence can fluctuate mid-process, and the risk of late-stage disruption increases.
In a recent podcast conversation, OneSearch Managing Director Liz Jarvis was joined by Millar & Bryce Managing Director Richard Hepburn to explore how that uncertainty is showing up in today’s market, and why one factor matters more than most when it comes to keeping transactions on track: clear, upfront information about the property.
Confidence is built early, or it isn’t built at all.
When buyers feel uncertain – about affordability, their finances, or the property itself – they pause. And when transactions pause, momentum is lost.
As Liz puts it: “The biggest thing that drives the market is how confident people feel.”
For conveyancers, this makes the early stages of a transaction critical. The more unknowns that sit unresolved at the start, the greater the chance they resurface later as friction, delay, or a deal-breaker. Upfront information helps remove that uncertainty sooner, before emotional and financial investment deepens.
A slower market doesn’t automatically mean weaker transactions.
An important distinction worth holding onto: a quieter market doesn’t automatically mean poorer outcomes. As Liz notes, “What we’re seeing now is fewer buyers, but they’re committed buyers.”
Those still active are people who need to move, not casual browsers. That means transactions are often more likely to complete, but only if unexpected issues don’t surface late in the journey.
Time is where risk creeps in.
Longer transaction timelines give uncertainty more room to grow. The more time that passes between offer and completion, the more chance there is for circumstances to change, priorities to shift, or doubts to set in. In England and Wales, where extended timelines are already the norm, that window of vulnerability is wider than most.
Why upfront information matters now.
Upfront information isn’t about adding friction at the start of a transaction. It’s about helping buyers and sellers make informed decisions sooner, so they commit with confidence rather than assumptions.
Liz summarises it simply: “It’s allowing people to get access to information around the property… before they move further into the process.”
When clarity comes late, trust erodes quickly. When it comes early, transactions tend to feel calmer, more predictable, and more resilient.
If keeping transactions on track matters to your firm this year, the full conversation with Liz and Richard is worth twenty-five minutes of your time.
👉 Watch or listen here:
