Agent numbers set to grow by 4% in 2026
The latest research from The Property DriveBuy reveals that the number of estate agency businesses in the UK could be set to increase by over 4% in 2026, marking another year of solid expansion for the sector and further increasing the level of market competition.
Property DriveBuy analysed available Office for National Statistics data (2017-2025) on the number of active estate agency businesses in the UK and its regions, and how this has changed over time.
The data shows that the number of active UK estate agency businesses in 2025 stands at 25,665. This marks an annual increase of 2% compared to 2024’s total of 25,155.
This increase has been fuelled by particularly strong growth of 6.1% in the West Midlands, followed by an increase of 2.8% in the East of England. Additional steady gains were recorded across London (2.2%), the East Midlands (2.2%), Yorkshire & Humber (2.1%), the North West (2.1%), and Scotland (2%). Only one region of the UK has seen the number of local agents fall, and that’s the North East where 2025’s total is down -0.8% on the previous year.
Since 2017, the number of agencies in the UK has grown consistently from one year to the next. As a result, the number of UK agents today is almost 6,400 higher than it was in 2017.
Based on this historic data, and using an exponential growth forecasting model that includes interpolation, accounts for seasonality, and is based on a middle bound confidence interval, PropertyDriveBuy estimates that that 2026 could see the nation’s estate agent count increase by a further 4.1%, which will put the UK total at 26,705.
Steve Foreman, Founder and CEO of The Property DriveBuy, commented:
“As more agents enter the market each year, we’re seeing competition intensify, forcing everyone to raise the bar. This is great for the standard of estate agencies delivered in the UK, but it also means that agents need to work incredibly hard to stand out from the crowd. It’s no longer just advisable to try and differentiate yourself; it’s essential.
Agencies that succeed in this environment are the ones embracing innovation, adopting new technologies, and finding eye-catching ways to reach and engage audiences – particularly with the emergence and evolution of AI-powered operational improvements. But most importantly, they’re focused on delivering exceptional client experiences and maximising the value of the service they provide.
Increased competition is healthy because it drives progress and demands that agents find ways of optimising the service they provide. We believe that PropertyDriveBuy, and its pioneering geo-location property search, enables agents to do just this. It is revolutionising the property portal to present for sale properties directly to potential buyers at the precise moment when the opportunity for engagement is at its strongest. This means agents can present homes to customers in a more impactful and useful way than has ever previously been possible and, in doing so, help sellers get a good price in a shorter timeframe.”
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