Nearly Third of Homebuyers Choose Conveyancer Recommended by Estate Agent
New research from Lyons Bowe Solicitors has revealed that nearly a third of homebuyers choose a conveyancer recommended by their estate agent, while only 40% compare multiple firms before making a decision.
The findings come at a challenging time for the UK housing market. According to the latest Zoopla House Price Index, annual homebuyer demand has fallen by 10%, driven by a decline in first-time buyers, while the number of sellers entering the market has increased by just 1% year-on-year.
Against this backdrop, conveyancing firms in some regions may be facing softer demand and looking for ways to generate new business. Lyons Bowe’s latest research suggests that maintaining strong relationships with estate agents remains one of the most effective routes to securing instructions.
To better understand how buyers choose a conveyancer, Lyons Bowe surveyed 1,208 UK homeowners who purchased a property within the last two years.
The research found that estate agents remain the single most influential source of instruction, with 32% of buyers appointing a conveyancer they found through an agent referral.
Personal recommendations also continue to play a major role. One in four buyers (25%) discovered their conveyancer following a recommendation from friends or family, underlining the importance of strong customer service and efficient processes in generating future business.
By comparison, less than one in five (19%) buyers used online search to find conveyancers, suggesting that personal and professional referrals still carry significantly more weight than independent online research when it comes to initial discovery.
The data also indicates that recommendations have a greater influence on final decision-making than price.
While 40% of buyers said they considered more than one conveyancer before choosing a provider, 38% of those respondents said a referral or recommendation was the biggest factor in their final decision. In contrast, just 20% said price was the primary influence, while only 11% based their decision on online reviews.
The research further highlights the level of trust generated through referrals, with 77% of homebuyers saying they either wholly or mostly trusted their conveyancer throughout the transaction process.
Paul Lyons, Managing Director at Lyons Bowe Solicitors, comments:
“Referrals from estate agents continue to play a hugely important role in how buyers choose a conveyancer, particularly in a more subdued market where firms are competing harder for every instruction.
That’s why it’s so important for conveyancers to invest time in building and maintaining strong relationships with local agents. Estate agents want to recommend firms they trust to deliver a reliable, efficient service that reflects positively on them and helps transactions progress smoothly.
But securing the instruction is only part of the job. Once a client comes on board, firms then have to deliver a level of service that encourages future recommendations from friends and family, because word-of-mouth remains incredibly powerful in this sector.
At Lyons Bowe, that’s exactly why we developed ‘The Lyons Bowe Way’. Our approach is built around making the conveyancing process as efficient, transparent, and stress-free as possible, while maintaining strong communication throughout every stage of the transaction. Buyers want reassurance, updates, and confidence that their move is progressing, and delivering that consistently is what helps build long-term trust and reputation.”
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