Lauren Tootell, Director, discusses the Residential Conveyancing market in 2025 and looks ahead to 2026.
From Lauren Tootell
Over the past 12 months, the residential property recruitment market has had a pretty bumpy ride. The overall housing market has been unpredictable, and that uncertainty has filtered straight into hiring.
With fewer sales going through and buyers taking their time, many firms have been more cautious about bringing on new staff. It’s not that there’s no activity at all — it’s just been stop-start, which makes long-term hiring decisions harder for businesses to commit to.
Counteroffers
Buy backs have been massive this year. Firms are offering counteroffers, retention bonuses, or sudden pay jumps to stop conveyancers and support staff from moving.
Candidates who seem ready to move often get pulled back at the last minute, which disrupts hiring plans and keeps the talent pool tight.
This has made it harder for firms to secure talent they thought they had already locked in. Candidates who seem ready to move often get pulled back at the last minute, which disrupts hiring plans and keeps the talent pool tight.
It’s added a layer of unpredictability just when the market could really do without it.
Competition for the best
On top of that, competition within the property world has been intense. Firms are fighting harder for every instruction, and that pressure has filtered directly into their recruitment expectations.
They want candidates who can deliver from day one, but there still aren’t enough experienced people to go around.
They want candidates who can deliver from day one, but there still aren’t enough experienced people to go around. So even though there are more roles in play, the battle for strong talent remains real.
Overall, it’s been a year marked by uncertainty, hesitation, and plenty of last-minute surprises. Economic pressures, fierce competition, and aggressive staff buy-backs have all made hiring tougher and forced everyone in the sector to stay flexible and resilient.
