Why *EVERYONE* Should Care About the Home Buying and Selling Process, Including Business Owners!

The property market affects far more than just home buyers and sellers. Every person, from business owners to tenants, is impacted by inefficiencies in the buying and selling process. Whether you own a company, work from home, or simply need a stable living environment, the state of the property market influences financial security, economic growth, and even mental well-being. Fixing the broken system is not just a concern for those actively moving - it's in everyone's best interest.

The Property Market Shapes Business and Economy

A flawed home buying and selling process doesn't just create stress for individuals - it has ripple effects on businesses and the broader economy. When transactions are delayed, it impacts:

• Business Owners Needing Commercial Property – Entrepreneurs looking to expand or secure office space often experience the same frustrations as home buyers. Legal delays, poor communication, and unresponsive solicitors slow down the ability to grow a business or relocate efficiently
• Remote Workers and Home-Based Businesses – With the rise of remote work, more people need stable living conditions to support their livelihoods. A delayed move can disrupt work schedules, impact productivity, and cause financial strain
• Landlords and Investors – A slow or unpredictable market discourages investment in rental properties, leading to housing shortages and rising rents.

The result? A less dynamic economy where businesses and individuals struggle to adapt due to unreliable property transactions.

Housing Instability Affects Everyone

A poorly functioning home buying and selling system contributes to housing insecurity in ways that extend beyond individual buyers.

• Longer Sales Processes Mean Fewer Homes Available – When transactions stall, fewer homes become available for new buyers, limiting housing stock and keeping prices artificially high.
• First-Time Buyers Are Locked Out – Those trying to get on the property ladder face greater competition and more hurdles, making homeownership an unattainable goal for many.
• Mental Health and Stress Impact – Constant delays and miscommunication add to anxiety and financial stress, leading to poor decision-making and lost opportunities.

Many home movers share their frustrations on online forums. One buyer wrote:

"I've had a really disappointing experience with my solicitor. Right from the beginning, communication has been a major issue. Despite my requests for more detailed information, her emails are consistently brief, leaving me unsure of what steps to take." (forums.moneysavingexpert.com)

Another seller described their frustration with a lack of coordination between professionals:

"Our estate agent has been saying for over a week that everything requested has been sent to our solicitor... We are now stuck in the middle with our solicitor saying we cannot proceed until we get the documents requested, and the estate agent saying they have sent everything required to exchange." (forums.moneysavingexpert.com)

When people struggle to buy and sell homes efficiently, it creates unnecessary instability in their personal AND professional lives. That's why we need to solve it from all perspectives!

Why Businesses Should Advocate for Change

Fixing the issues in the home buying and selling process benefits businesses just as much as it does individuals. More stability in the housing market means:

• Better Workforce Mobility – Employees can relocate more easily for job opportunities, helping businesses attract top talent.
  
• Greater Investment in Local Communities – When people can move with confidence, they spend more in their new neighbourhoods, supporting local businesses.
  
• Improved Productivity – Workers who aren't preoccupied with housing concerns can focus on their jobs, leading to a more stable and engaged workforce.

A more efficient system creates a stronger economy that benefits everyone, from startups to established corporations.

Why Are Buyers and Sellers Always Chasing?

A major complaint from home movers (and it could be said for those buying business premises maybe too?) is the sheer lack of communication from the professionals handling their transactions. Despite being the ones financially invested in the process, buyers and sellers often find themselves repeatedly chasing for the simplest updates. As one frustrated seller put it:

"What I want to know is how often you all chase up your estate agents to find out what is going on and what do you even say with regards to the lack of viewings? What are they actually doing for us to deserve what we pay?" (forums.moneysavingexpert.com)

A slow-moving agent or solicitor can mean months of wasted time and unnecessary anxiety. Many feel that they are paying thousands in fees for a service that lacks transparency and accountability.

Another seller shared their experience:

"I am trying to sell my house. It's been six months. It went on the market halfway between the highest and lowest of the prices three agents gave me. I then reduced it to the lowest of the three prices and my EA told me it was now at the correct price. It didn't sell. So I knocked another £30,000 off the price. It still hasn't sold. WTF is their value here, as right now I see none!" (forums.moneysavingexpert.com)

Would we tolerate a car salesman who simply parks a vehicle in a garage and waits for someone to stumble upon it? No. Yet, this is exactly what many estate agents do - they list a property and sit back, hoping a buyer finds it on Rightmove.

What Needs to Change?

Improving the home buying and selling process requires industry-wide reform. Key areas for improvement include:

• Better Communication – Solicitors and estate agents must provide timely updates and clear information to clients (this is an absolute basic need and there are NO EXCUSES for not providing this). Any agent, or more important, solicitor that sees this as trivial is on a path to extinction. It is simply NOT ACCEPTABLE in today's world.
• More Accountability – Professionals involved in property transactions should face consequences for poor service and excessive delays. This can be achieved in part by PROVABLE REVIEWS. Any review platform worth its salt can implement this.
• Streamlined Legal Processes – Reducing unnecessary paperwork and outdated procedures would speed up transactions. There are already many companies assisting in helping the legal sector with this, so solicitors should investigate with a view to using them.
• Transparency in Fees – Buyers and sellers deserve clear, upfront costs without hidden charges or last-minute expenses.
• Industry Promotion of Solutions – There appears to be a reluctance across the industries to promote new innovations, whether it be tech, or process improvement. This needs to change. They need to promote and encourage testing of new products and services instead of supressing them. 
• Proactive Marketing – Agents need to get their act together and start marketing properties properly. If the property falls into a niche, then target it, for example, if its an over 55s apartment, then target demographics with flyer drops in areas where the population has a large proportion of over 55s who may want to downsize.

So Why Should EVERYONE Care?

The inefficiencies in the home buying and selling process don't just inconvenience individual movers, they create widespread economic and social problems. Business owners need stable locations, employees need reliable housing, and communities thrive when people can move freely and invest in their surroundings.

By pushing for a more efficient, transparent, and accountable property market, we create benefits that extend far beyond individual transactions. Fixing the system isn't just a priority for those moving today, it's a long-term necessity for a stronger economy and a more stable society.

HERE'S A SUMMARY OF THE COMPLAINTS JUST ON MONYSAVING EXPERT:

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