Alfonso Tallo, Client Relationship Manager
For many brokers, chasing updates has quietly become part of the job. Not because it adds value, but because without it, progress feels uncertain.
But the more time brokers spend chasing information, the clearer it becomes that the issue isn’t the complexity of transactions – it’s the lack of visibility around what’s happening and when.
When chasing becomes part of the process
Whether it’s chasing conveyancers for updates, chasing clients for information, or chasing progress when things go quiet, this has become accepted as part of property transactions.
But from what I see working with brokers day in, day out, it doesn’t have to be that way. When we look at the reality, the issue often isn’t communication itself. It’s visibility. When the right information isn’t there at the right time, brokers are forced into a reactive way of working. As a broker you start navigating uncertainty and try to keep deals alive with limited insight, whilst clients are looking to you for answers you don’t always have.
That’s where the pressure builds, and the frustration mounts. It’s not just about the volume of work; it’s the lack of clarity. And in my experience, transactions without key information up front cause the most friction and pressure for brokers.
When things like ID checks, property information, searches, and surveys aren’t introduced early enough, issues get pushed further down the line. Then, by the time they surface, the transaction is already under pressure. Clients want to know completion dates. They’ve already had weeks waiting, and they think they’ve done all the admin because they’ve completed their welcome pack. That’s when the chasing really begins. And we all know, chasing often just slows cases down.
Changing the dynamic by starting earlier
However, we’ve found that when you bring those steps forward, the whole dynamic of the transaction changes. Instead of reacting to problems late on, you’re identifying them early; when there’s still time to do something about them and clients are still in their admin state.
In practice, where upfront preparation is in place, transactions tend to:
But beyond the metrics, it’s how those cases feel that really stands out. There is less uncertainty and far less time spent chasing for updates or trying to piece together what’s happening behind the scenes. That’s why we work with brokers to help them get their clients ready to move early, whether they’re buyers or sellers. For me, it’s not about adding more steps or creating extra work for brokers. It’s about bringing the right things forward so you can remove the friction before it starts.
Regaining control of the transaction
What I see in practice is that brokers who reduce chasing aren’t necessarily doing anything drastic. They’re simply changing when information is introduced and how visible it is from the start.
When the right steps are brought forward, the need to chase starts to fall away. Conversations become more proactive, clients feel more informed, and brokers spend less time piecing together updates and more time actually doing core business.
If you’re looking to reduce the time you spend chasing, download our broker playbook — which includes five practical ways to create a clearer, more controlled process.