Beyond the Chase: Redefining Sales Progression in Real Estate

The moment an offer is accepted should be a time of celebration. For the buyer, it’s the start of a new chapter; for the seller, it’s the light at the end of the tunnel. Yet, all too often, this milestone is immediately followed by a period of agonizing silence, mounting frustration, and the inevitable question: “Why is this taking so long?”

In the latest episode of Golden Nuggets: Movers & Shakers, Silvia Eldawi sits down with Steve Pymm, Managing Director of Pymm & Co, to pull back the curtain on the “black hole” between offer acceptance and completion. With over three decades of experience, Steve offers a refreshing—and perhaps controversial—take on the estate agent’s role in this critical phase.

The Illusion of Activity

For many estate agents, “sales progression” has become synonymous with “chasing.” The standard operating procedure often involves a weekly cycle of hounding conveyancers for updates. However, Steve argues that this relentless pressure rarely speeds things up. In fact, it might be doing the opposite.

“Repeatedly chasing conveyancers isn’t necessarily the same thing as progressing a sale,” Steve notes. When agents bombard solicitors with “any news?” emails, they aren't adding value; they are simply adding to the administrative noise. Genuine progression is about identifying bottlenecks before they become roadblocks, not just asking why the car isn't moving.

The Difference Between Chasing and Progressing

So, what does high-level sales progression actually look like? According to Steve, it starts long before the legal paperwork hits the desk. It’s about preparation and expectation management.

• Front-Loading Information: The most efficient sales are those where the heavy lifting is done early. This means ensuring sellers have their documents ready and buyers have their mortgage offers in principle secured before an offer is even made.
• Predicting the Chain: A skilled agent looks beyond their own transaction. They understand the health of the entire chain. If a transaction three links down is stalling, no amount of chasing the immediate buyer will fix the problem.
• Facilitating, Not Hounding: Instead of asking if something is done, agents should be asking what is needed to get it done. This shifts the relationship with conveyancers from adversarial to collaborative.

Managing the Human Element

The "lag" in property transactions is often as much about psychology as it is about paperwork. Uncertainty breeds anxiety. Steve emphasizes that while agents can’t always control the speed, they can control the flow of information.

The golden rule? Consistency. Whether the news is good, bad, or non-existent, regular updates are essential. When buyers and sellers feel informed, they feel in control. When they are left in the dark, they start to second-guess their decisions, which is when sales are most likely to fall through.

A Call for Radical Cooperation

The underlying theme of the discussion is a need for a cultural shift in the industry. The “us vs. them” mentality between agents and solicitors serves no one—least of all the client. Steve advocates for a more integrated approach where all parties work toward the common goal of completion.

By setting realistic timelines from day one and having frank conversations about moving dates early in the process, agents can reduce the friction that leads to mid-transaction meltdowns. It requires a move away from the "pipeline conversion" pressure and toward a service-led model that prioritizes the client as much as the final commission.

Steve’s insights serve as a reminder that the best way to speed up a sale isn't to shout louder—it's to work smarter. True sales progression is an art form that requires empathy, foresight, and, above all, the maturity to stop chasing and start leading.