The emergence of both NSW and Victoria from their restrictive lockdowns last month, coupled with the recent shift away from the COVID zero strategy has enabled many practitioners to start holiday dreaming.

This year has seen increased levels of stress and burnout in the legal property industry. Lockdowns and working from home have both extended hours and blurred the line between office and home life. We have spent more time at home, yet struggle to feel like we've ever left work. 

As we prepare to book that trip and commit to those plans there is a small hiccup on the horizon. What are we going to do with our property matters?

Booming property market

Recent property settlement numbers have seen a sharp decline for both NSW and Victoria due no doubt to the extended lockdowns in each state. Unlike last year, vendors have chosen to hold back listing their property during the lockdown hoping to capitalize on a hot property market when the lockdowns end. 

Emerging from lockdown, this has quickly translated to a sharp uptick in property sale listings. Already there has been a surge in listings for NSW, with Victoria quickly following suit. The effect of this: the spring selling market has shifted back two months. The workflow is set to increase dramatically and impact settlement numbers over the Christmas and holiday period, January, and even well in to 2022 – just when many practitioners are looking to book that long awaited holiday.  

What to do – holiday or work – or both?

After the year that has been 2021, no one wants to have to make the difficult choice between a holiday and work. There is no doubt that cashflow has been impacted by lockdowns so extra work is a bonus to restore the balance, however, we have all earned that holiday this year more than ever. Just when it seems that we can’t have both, perhaps we can.

LodgeX is your holiday dreaming solution

LodgeX is your solution to this work-holiday dilemma. Simply book your eSettlement or eLodgement, upload the relevant files, and from there you can choose to be involved as much or as little as suits you and your plans. Our flexible booking policy and lack of joining or ongoing license fees means no nasty surprises when you return. With the flexibility to book one or one hundred settlements, you can set off, meet your loved ones or just relax, unwind or explore whilst the team at LodgeX takes care of the rest for you. Best of all, our fees are a fully recoverable disbursement.

More worried about losing control of your settlements while you take that well-earned break? We've developed our program Lapp with your needs in mind. With live status updates and in-platform messaging between parties, you can be as hands-on or hands-off as suits you.

Some of our benefits include:

1. Our bespoke platform: Lapp
   
   We’ve said a lot about Lapp. It truly is a game changer. It's easy to use, provides 24/7 real time updates and everything you need to be in PEXA without being in PEXA 
   
   
2. We are lawyers and conveyancers
   
   Yes - we really are a team of highly experienced property lawyers and conveyancers. We know how to apply the law effectively and efficiently to give you the outcome you seek: fuss free settlements
   
   
3. We are completely in house
   
   Outsource only once – to us. Our true scalability means we don’t need extra external help. We make it our business to know your business and build a primary relationship with you.
   
   
4. No lock-in contracts
   
   Engage us as often or as little as desired. If you want to scale up for a subdivision, take that holiday or just want a break then we can step in and help
   
   
5. Fully recoverable fees
   
   Yes - you can fully recover our fees as a disbursement cost 
   
   
6. We are award winning industry leaders
   
   This year alone we have garnered multiple awards and been invited to participate in industry forums, working committees and stakeholder feedback

The combination of our award-winning service provided by our expert team, means that you don’t have to worry about your settlement. Best of all, the 24/7 visibility of our Lapp platform means that whenever you want, wherever you are, you can just log in and see what is happening with your eSettlement in real time, it’s your choice. 

So, what are you waiting for? Stop dreaming about that holiday, book it now and then book your settlements with LodgeX so that whilst you are away you can truly relax and know your business is in good hands.

Interested in finding out more? With an exclusive offer for Lawyers Weekly readers, find out if LodgeX is your holiday solution, 100% risk-free here.