"Certainty, speed and security are what buyers and sellers want, but too often they’re let down. For agents, that gap is a chance to stand out"
- Jamie Cooke - iamproperty
iamproperty’s latest quarterly consumer survey has found that only a third of respondents (32%) would recommend their agent following a transaction.
With many agents relying on recommendations for a steady business pipeline, the question arises: what is going wrong, and what do clients truly value?
What buyers and sellers care about most
The survey, which included 353 respondents across the UK, highlighted that commitment from the other party is considered the most important factor in a successful property transaction, with 93% of participants rating it above all other elements.
Respondents also identified other priorities:
Sale certainty (90%)
Better communication (89%)
A faster process (87%)
Minimal stress (84%)
Control (79%)
A simple, easy-to-understand process (88%)
Further data from the proptech provider indicated a mismatch of expectations. While 75% of consumers reported that the moving process took longer than expected, client onboarding data shows that over half (53%) of buyers and sellers still hope to complete their move within three months. This is a difficult goal to achieve, given the current 200+ day average time to completion. Such gaps can strain the client–agent relationship, even when agents have limited control over external circumstances.
Opportunities for agents
Jamie Cooke, co-founder at iamproperty (pictured), said the findings show a clear opportunity for agents to strengthen client relationships, build trust, and earn recommendations by addressing the issues that matter most using the solutions available to them.
He explained, “Certainty, speed and security are what buyers and sellers want, but too often they’re let down. For agents, that gap is a chance to stand out. We believe it’s why we’re seeing auction continue its upward trajectory, with our Partner Agents’ auction sales making up over 1.2% of all UK property transactions in 2024, and demand growing into 2025.
"So far this year, sales are up 13%, with nearly £500m worth of property sold between January and July. Consumers are clearly recognising that the Modern Method of Auction (MMoA) offers a faster, more transparent and secure route, with its 56-day completion timescale, upfront material information and Reservation Fee giving both buyers and sellers the confidence they’re looking for.”
He added, “But auction isn’t the only solution. For Private Treaty transactions, onboarding and conveyancing solutions like movebutler and Premium Conveyancing are helping agents tackle the biggest causes of fall-throughs and delays. By getting properties ‘exchange-ready’ earlier – through pre-sale title checks, legal searches and addressing enquiries upfront – unnecessary hold-ups are avoided."
"That’s how Premium Conveyancing is achieving an average completion time of 79 days with just a 7% fall-through rate⁵, a stark difference to the current 200+ day average⁶. Solutions already exist to give clients the experience they expect and help agents build stronger relationships, reduce fall-throughs, and create the trust that encourages recommendations.”
