The Intermediary – November 2025 - Flipbook - Page 42
T E C H N O L O GY
In focus
Time to bring
homebuying into
the 21st Century
I
n almost every aspect of
our lives, technology has
streamlined complexity.
We manage our finances,
collaborate with colleagues
across the globe, and order
anything we need with a few clicks.
Yet, when it comes to the most
significant financial transaction most
of us will ever make – buying a home
– we are trapped in a bygone era of
paperwork, disjointed processes, and
agonising uncertainty.
Weak links
The recent ‘Fixing the Broken Chain’
report by Santander lays bare the
staggering cost of doing nothing about
our home buying process. It reveals a
system in crisis, with 530,000 property
transactions falling through each
year – haemorrhaging £1.5bn from
the economy.
But behind these eye-watering
numbers lies a deeper, more human
cost. The majority of homebuyers
are consistently stressed, with many
reporting increased anxiety and strain
on their personal relationships. This is
more than an inefficient process; it’s a
system that is actively failing people.
The fundamental problem is
fragmentation. The journey is a
disjointed relay race where the baton
is supposed to be passed between
estate agents, mortgage brokers
and conveyancers, all operating in
their own isolated silos. It’s a process
designed for a pre-digital age, and
consumers are paying the price, both
financially and emotionally.
Integrated and transparent
The solution, however, is within our
grasp. What if buying a house could be
as seamless as a modern e-commerce
experience? A single, connected
platform where every step – from
search and mortgage application
to legal work and exchange – is
integrated, transparent, and managed
in one place.
This is not a distant future fantasy.
At OneDome, we have already
built this connected platform.
We are proving that a beer way
is not only possible but is already
delivering results.
A modern experience: A better way is not only possible, but already delivering results
40
The Intermediary | November 2025
BABEK ISMAYIL
is founder and CEO
of OneDome
We are working hand-in-hand
with a growing network of mortgage
brokers and estate agents to provide
a faster, cheaper, and simpler
experience through our fixed-price
HomeBuyer Service. We have already
helped hundreds of homebuyers
navigate their journey with far less
stress and greater financial certainty,
demonstrating the power of a unified,
digital-first approach.
The market’s appetite for this
change is undeniable. Consumers are
no longer prepared to accept a broken
homebuying process simply because
‘that’s the way it’s always been’. They
are actively seeking out and embracing
a modern, efficient, and consumercentric alternative.
We believe in a homebuying journey
where buyers have real-time visibility
of their entire transaction, where
professionals collaborate in one digital
environment, and where the delays
and misunderstandings that cause
chains to collapse no longer exist.
By connecting the chain, we can
reclaim the £1.5bn lost to failure,
and more importantly, restore the
excitement and hope that should
define the journey to a new home.
The technology to fix this broken
system is available, and the demand
from consumers is clear. The
future of homebuying is connected,
transparent, and efficient – the
revolution is already underway. ●
