OneSearch the stress behind the sale

Home buyers and sellers consistently rank purchasing a property among the most stressful experiences of their lives. Yet much of that anxiety isn’t directly caused by the delays themselves, it’s caused by silence.

Understanding what’s happening emotionally on the other side of a transaction is one of the most practical tools a conveyancer has. This piece sets out five common client responses during search delays, and what each one means for how you respond.

According to According to Landmark Information Group’s market research report, Paving the way for smarter residential  conveyancing in 2026, the average property transaction in England and Wales now takes up-to 19 weeks. Conveyancers spend 41% of their working day chasing, or being chased, for updates, and 42% cite slow transaction times as their number one professional frustration.

Those numbers describe the process. What follows looks at what clients are experiencing within it.

Five things your clients are feeling… and what to do about them

1. They think no news is bad news

What that means for you: Contact them before they contact you

In the absence of updates, clients don’t assume everything is fine, they assume the worst. A week of silence to a conveyancer is a normal working week. To a home buyer or seller, it’s evidence that something’s gone awry.

A brief, proactive call that acknowledges where things stand, and confirms someone is on top of it, rarely takes more than a few minutes. Not making it can undo weeks of goodwill.

2. They can tell when they’re being managed

What that means for you: Be transparent, not just reassuring

Well-intentioned phrases like “I’m sure it’ll be fine; these things take time” often increase anxiety rather than reduce it. Clients are attuned to the difference between being informed and being placated, and the latter erodes trust quickly.

A specific revised timeframe, even an uncertain one, gives clients something real to hold onto. Transparency is more uncomfortable in the short term, but far more effective overall.

3. They don’t have the context to calibrate their expectations

What that means for you: Set expectations early, not just when problems arise

Most home buyers and sellers will never get to ‘peer behind the curtain’, Wizard of Oz-style, to see how a property transaction works. They don’t know that local authority search timescales vary, or that delays at week ten are not uncommon.

The most effective way to manage a difficult conversation later is to have an honest one at the start. Clients who understand the process are far less likely to catastrophise when delays appear.

4. They feel like a case number, not a person

What that means for you: Acknowledge the emotional weight

Buying a home consistently ranks among the most stressful life events. For most clients, this is one of the very few times they’ll go through it.

A single sentence of recognition “I know this is a frustrating position to be in” can shift the tone of an entire call. Clients don’t need their conveyancer to be a counsellor. They do need to feel heard before moving on to next steps.

5. Their stress becomes your stress

What that means for you: Recognise the load and know that better communication reduces it

Conveyancers are often the primary emotional shock absorbers in a transaction. Fielding anxiety from clients, pressure from estate agents, and urgency from the other side, often simultaneously, and often on cases where the stress isn’t something you’ve caused, is a real professional burden.

The habits above help both sides. Every proactive update reduces the likelihood of an anxious call, and getting communication right protects everyone concerned.

Further support

OneSearch has published a free guide, Managing Client Anxiety Through a Transaction, developed with support from LawCare, which provides free, confidential support to legal professionals.

Download the guide to access a practical communication checklist for use during delays.

Kindly shared by OneSearch