By 2020, they say 50% of house sales could be done via Online Estate Agents?

online only estate agents

An interesting piece that I read online via by David Clensy in the Bristol Post highlights the growing trend of sales happening via Online Estate Agents. Obviously, as more and more online / hybrid estate agents then the inevitable outcome will be that more sales happen via them, but is this a trend that is actually growing in strength over statistics?
The Bristol Post states: “Increasingly the For Sale signs adorning properties up and down the city are not those of the traditional high street estate agents.

It is somewhat not exactly clear what falls in to ‘Online Estate Agency’ as ultimately it could be any ‘estate agency‘ that is online which would account I would say for more than 99% of all the industry? Though I hear more and more that online does not include traditional estate agents, ie those with an office / high street presence – It does include online, hybrid, do it yourself…

We must all agree that no matter what industry you are in, from takeaway pizzas to car insurance, online has and continues to change and shape industries with the way it offers businesses a vast array of opportunities for marketing and generating business.

I think we can safely say that online only estate agents are all about reducing fees for the end consumer, this may entail a reduced overall service and additional costs for extras which would normally form part of the whole package from traditional estate agents, but the appeal to the consumer is that % saving which is often in the £1,000’s. Importantly, with online estate agents, their property will still be appearing on property portals like Rightmove & Zoopla.

 

A recent, widely reported survey by Face For Business, showed that from 1,000 members of the public questioned about using online estate agents, 60% would still prefer to go with a traditional estate agency… Depending how you read this and which side of the fence you are on when reporting on it, it still shows a massive 34% would go with online estate agents (6% stated ‘Don’t Know’).

I do recommend to read the full report from David Clensy on the Bristol Post website here.

 

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

UK House Price Index for December 2025

The latest UK House Price Index shows that: The average monthly rate of house price growth in December was -0.7%. Average UK house price annual inflation was 2.4% in the 12 months to December 2025. As a result, the average UK house price currently sits at £270,000.   Here are some thoughts from the Industry.…
Read More
Cozy Pet Cat Tree Grey
Breaking News

10 things all tenants need to know when renting now

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27th October 2025 and will introduce major reforms to private renting in England. The first raft of measures affecting tenants will come into force on 1st May this year. So, whether you currently have a tenancy agreement or are planning to rent this year, here are…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Average monthly mortgage payment down £119 year-on-year in January

Rightmove’s monthly mortgage tracker shows that the national average monthly mortgage payment in January was £1,592, based on January’s average asking price for a home of £368,031: Average monthly mortgage payments are £119 (7%) lower than a year ago, despite the average price of a home rising by 0.5% year-on-year in January A big January…
Read More
Countryside
Breaking News

Homes with a great view command premiums

Buyers are paying a 28% price premium for homes with a great view The latest research from Yopa reveals that homebuyers who want to secure a property with a great view are going to have to pay an average price premium of 28%, rising beyond 35% in the North East. Every house has windows, and…
Read More
for sale sign london
Breaking News

More sellers looking to enter the property market

The latest research from eXp UK has revealed that an increasing number of home sellers are entering the UK market, as demonstrated by recent growth in online search interest for terms such as ‘estate agent’ and ‘best estate agent’. Previous research from eXp UK recently found that sellers started reentering the market in the opening…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Non-standard home insurance cover and how to get it right

Leading insurer provides the low-down on non-standard home insurance cover and how to get it right Most home insurance policies in the UK are designed for ‘standard’ homes, but not every home is considered standard. Whether the property is built with timber frames, has a flat roof or is a listed building, it may fall…
Read More