How to Combat the Rise of Online Estate Agents

online only estate agents

As the battle between online and high street retailers rages through all industries, the fight for the property market is heating up.

Online estate agents may have gained steam lately, with companies like Emoov and Yopa attempting to undercut traditional property marketers, but it’s not quite game over for high street agents.

Your biggest advantage is quality leads. Online property marketers might exploit the convenience of the internet, but when it comes to handing over cold hard cash people still prefer to deal with estate agents in person.

In 2015 it was estimated that only four per cent of homes were sold online. This is predicted to rise but, instead of worrying about forecasts, your time and energy would be better spent on improving and increasing quality leads.

When people step through your door they’re hoping to deal with someone who’s knowledgeable, engaged and trustworthy. Cultivating the right environment is crucial to convincing clients of your expertise and finalising the sale. We’ve highlighted a few small changes that’ll help you do this.

Apply the principles of colour psychology

If used correctly, colour can be a subtle and persuasive way to talk to your customers – it has a big impact on atmosphere, after all. The principles of colour psychology tell us that cool colours, like blue and green, create a relaxed and reassuring atmosphere, perfect for soothing last-minute buyer nerves.

On the other hand, bold graphics and bright colours work great in windows to draw attention to important information or exciting new properties.

Invest in some greenery

Customers who’re buying from or selling with your agency will likely have to spend a lot of time in your office, so providing an attractive and pleasant environment is key.

The biophilia hypothesis suggests that a connection to nature extends to the workplace and has many benefits for businesses. Getting a few indoor office plants is an easy way to create a peaceful atmosphere and welcome customers.

Champion your local community

Local knowledge and expertise are the biggest selling points of high street estate agents, but this means more than knowing your statistics.

Being invested in your local community shows that you’re a reliable source of information, so join your high street initiative or get involved in charity drives and events. At the very least, it’ll help to get your name out.

Investing in quality leads by making a few changes to your current office set-up doesn’t have to be difficult. Start small and see if our top tips help you to improve sales.

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

Estate Agent Talk

Demand for project properties soars versus general market

New research from The Property DriveBuy reveals that demand for fixer-upper properties is easily eclipsing overall market demand as homebuyers demonstrate a strong appetite for renovation projects amidst ongoing affordability restrictions due to stubbornly higher mortgage rates and slow but steady house price growth. Across England, there are currently an estimated 601,525 homes listed for…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

5,600 sellers slash asking price within first 30 days

5,600 home sellers slash asking price within first 30 days of hitting the market, as market stagnates ahead of Autumn Budget The latest research from nationwide cash buying company and quick sale specialists, Springbok Properties, has revealed that as many as 5,559 home sellers have slashed their asking prices within 30 days of entering the…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

How to Protect Your Property Investment Before You Buy or Sell

Buying or selling property can be one of the biggest financial moves you’ll ever make, which is why protecting that investment should come before anything else. Taking the time to do the right checks and work with the right experts saves you from expensive surprises in the future. Preparation gives you power when it comes…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Market remains resilient, but not strong enough to drive usual Autumn bounce

The average price of property coming to the market for sale rises by 0.3% (+£1,165) this month to £371,422. This is below the ten-year average October bounce of +1.1%, as the decade-high level of property for sale limits seller pricing power The month of September saw a softening of activity year-on-year compared with a strong…
Read More
Breaking News

House prices post second consecutive quarter of growth this year

The latest Property Market Index Review by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed that the property market has continued to demonstrate resilience in 2025, with house prices increasing for a second consecutive quarter in Q2, following four consecutive quarterly increases seen in 2024. The Benham and Reeves Property Market Index Review*…
Read More
Commercial Agent Talk

Reliable Commercial Roofers in Middlesbrough for Quality Roofing Solutions

Any commercial building can only be very safe and last long when it has a very strong roof. With time, the roofing system may be weakened by nature due to weather, similarity in age and structural wear, thereby resulting in expensive repair if not corrected early. This is the reason why you need to employ…
Read More