A joint venture which aims to rationalise the residential sales process, is celebrating its first year.
Sheldon Bosley Knight (SBK) and conveyancing firm Jephson Legal (JL) have been working together since the launch of JL in January 2023 to join up the agency and legal aspects of selling a property.
It is the only such collaboration within the industry as JL works exclusively for SBK via a referral system.
The brainchild of SBK custodian Mike Cleary, it has proved so successful the JL team has expanded to more than double since the beginning of the 2023 and looks set to grow further in 2024.
The service was introduced as part of SBK’s drive to simplify the sales process, making it easier, quicker, smoother and less stressful for both sellers and buyers.
It has also minimised fall-throughs by keeping clients better informed and helping them understand throughout the process who does what, and by when.

Mike Cleary said: “I was selling a house for a client who was complaining we couldn’t see the transaction all the way through to a legal conclusion for him. When I considered their needs further, I realised there was a gap in the market for a more joined up approach between sales and the legal sides.
“After a couple of false starts, I approached Gary at (law firm) Davisons and we agreed to provide this one-of-a-kind service.
“The entire process is based on communication. Our clients now have a dedicated, proactive sales progressor sat alongside the lawyers whose job it is to ensure the lines of communication remain open at all times. As a direct consequence this enables the transaction to progress more quickly and with fewer hold ups as the teams work side by side all for the client.
“This service gives us an incredible advantage over agents in the area and puts the client, via SBK, in control of the transaction.
“I’m proud of the teams at SBK and JL as they have worked really hard to make it the success it has been.”

JL senior associate and head of legal, Natalie Sheerin, said: “This collaboration between JL and SBK is designed to help both buyers and sellers and 2023, our inaugural year, has been even more successful than we ever dreamed.
“The market can be very tricky, not least for first time buyers, but we enable them to have a legal expert on hand, who can easily be spoken to, to explain the intricacies of becoming a homeowner.
Coupled with this, the need to move faster, in an ever-changing market means we always encourage anyone who wants to buy or sell to be legal prepared right at the start of the process.
“We are on hand to ensure the lines of communication remain open throughout the transaction so nothing slips through the net. This gives our client confidence there will be someone to speak to whenever they need to.
“We can do everything digitally and the client is in control so can choose to transact online or in person at either their local SBK office or at the JL offices in Leamington.
“We have already seen incredible results during our first year – transactions are going through faster and there are fewer fall throughs – and we are looking forward to this venture going from strength to strength.”