The way property transactions begin may be about to change, and with it, the role of the conveyancer.
Proposals around home buying and selling reform suggest a future where sellers are required to provide more information upfront, before a property is even listed. If that happens, conveyancers could move from a supporting role later in the process to becoming one of the very first professionals a seller engages.
That shift has significant implications. Not just for workload or process, but for visibility, perception, and how we chose conveyancing firms in the first place.
Reform could change where the sale begins
Current proposals around mandatory upfront property information aim to reduce fall-throughs, delays, and wasted time across the transaction. The intention is clear: address inefficiencies by ensuring key information is available earlier.
If sellers are required to provide searches, title information, and identity verification before marketing a property, the traditional starting point of the transaction changes. The sale no longer begins with an estate agent - it begins with preparation.
And preparation means legal input.
From support role to starting point
In this model, conveyancers are no longer engaged once a buyer is found. They are involved at the outset, helping sellers assemble the information required to list.
That places conveyancers in a fundamentally different position. Potentially, they become the first professional a seller speaks to when deciding to move.
With that comes a shift in expectations. Sellers won’t just be looking for technical competence, they’ll be making quick judgement about credibility, clarity, and confidence, often before any direct conversation takes place.
Visibility and first impressions matter more than ever
When demand shifts earlier, choice shifts earlier too.
If conveyancers are engaged at the very start of the journey, sellers will judge firms based on what they can see immediately: the quality of their website, the clarity of their messaging, and how confidently they present themselves as property experts.
Minimal, outdated, or unclear branding risks undermining confidence at exactly the moment it matters most. A firm may deliver excellent legal work, but if it doesn’t look visible, credible, and relevant online, it may simply be overlooked.
First impressions aren’t just a marketing concern. They influence trust, reassurance, and whether a seller feels comfortable taking the next step.
Early movers stand to gain the advantage
This shift won’t happen overnight, but firms that wait for reform to be finalised may find themselves playing catch-up.
Support already exists within the legal sector to help firms strengthen their visibility and positioning. As we’re part of the LawNet partnership, we work closely with website specialists, Conscious Solutions, who have been helping firms sharpen their brand, messaging, and digital presence for several years. As our sector isn’t the easiest to understand and navigate, we always stress to firms that are looking to update their website to utilise sector-specific knowledge and experience, like Conscious Solutions.
Firms that act soon will have the opportunity to establish themselves as obvious, credible choices before this becomes the norm - rather than scrambling to adapt once expectations have already changed.
A question firms should be asking now
If the property journey shifts, so does the moment of choice.
Conveyancers may soon find themselves at the front of the process, not the middle of it. And when that happens, being good at the law won’t be enough on its own.
The real question is simple: are you visible and credible enough to be chosen first?
