The future of home moving isn't faster. It's more certain.

Buying and selling property has long been associated with stress, delays and uncertainty. Repeated paperwork, fragmented communication and limited visibility have become accepted as part of the home moving process.

Our UK Home Moving Experience Report 2026 explores what consumers think about today’s property transaction journey and what they want from its future. Based on research with 1,050 recent movers, alongside industry analysis and transaction data, the report reveals a market that is increasingly ready for change.

The biggest challenge isn’t speed, it’s certainty

One of the clearest messages from the research is that consumers are not simply asking for faster transactions. They are asking for greater certainty.

Whether it’s understanding costs, knowing who is responsible for the next step or having confidence that completion will happen as expected, buyers consistently identified uncertainty as one of the biggest frustrations throughout the home moving journey.

The opportunity for the industry isn’t just to reduce transaction times. It’s to create a process that is more transparent, connected and predictable.

 

Three key findings from the report:

1. Unexpected costs are now the norm

More than 95% of buyers experienced unexpected costs during their move.

Interestingly, consumers generally viewed individual professions fees as transparent. The challenge wasn’t hidden charges, it was understanding when costs would arise, why they occurred and how they affected the overall transaction.

Greater transparency and earlier information could help remove many of these surprises.

2. Consumers are ready for digital transformation

The research found that 91% of buyers would be more likely to choose a fully digital conveyancer.

However, this isn’t a demand for automation at all costs. Consumers want technology that removes friction, improves visibility and reduces duplication, while still having access to trusted professional advice throughout one of life’s biggest financial decisions.

3. The last mile matters

Much of the industry’s focus has rightly been on improving the early stages of the transaction through better upfront information, digital verification and trusted data.

But the report argues that change cannot stop there.

Completion and registration remain one of the least digitised stages of the home moving journey, despite being the point at which certainty matters most. Improving the final stage of the transaction offers one of the greatest opportunities to create a more transparent, secure and predictable experience for consumers.

 

A market ready for change

The findings point to a property market that is evolving. Consumers are increasingly ready to embrace digital services, government reform is gathering pace, and the industry is becoming more aligned around trusted data, greater interoperability and improved collaboration.

At PEXA, we’re committed to helping make that future a reality. By working with industry, government and our customers to modernise the home moving process, we’re helping create property transactions that are more certain, from offer to completion and registration.