"Those who embrace the full spectrum of revenue opportunities, including monetising their out-of-area applicant leads, will be well placed as the market continues its gradual recovery"
- Colby Short - GetAgent
The UK estate agency sector is expected to experience renewed growth in 2025, with both market size and the number of businesses forecast to rise, according to the latest analysis from GetAgent Exchange. This upward trend is predicted to continue into 2026.
GetAgent Exchange examined historic and current data on the UK residential real estate agent sector, looking at revenue, business numbers, and projected developments for the coming years.
The analysis shows the sector is set to reach a total market size of £5.8 billion in 2025, a slight increase of 0.71% compared with 2024. Meanwhile, the number of residential estate agency businesses operating across the UK is expected to grow to 19,726, up from 19,586 in 2024.
This trajectory is predicted to continue into 2026, when market size is projected to reach £5.85 billion, reflecting a 0.7% increase, while the number of businesses rises by a further 1.3% to 19,982.
However, these gains follow a challenging period between 2020 and 2024, during which market revenues fell consistently each year. Over that period, revenues declined by an average of 4.9% per year, dropping from £7.4 billion in 2020 to £5.7 billion in 2024. In contrast, the number of operating businesses grew steadily, rising from 15,654 in 2020 to 19,586 in 2024.
This divergence highlights the increasingly competitive environment for estate agents, as a growing number of firms compete over a shrinking revenue pool. Even as growth returns, the data underscores the importance of maximising every available income stream.
Revenue opportunities include referral income, not only from traditional partnerships with solicitors, surveyors, and financial advisers, but also from out-of-area applicant referrals, where buyers are looking to sell outside an agent’s local area.
“The property market as a whole has held its own in recent years, despite the myriad of challenges we’ve faced," comments Colby Short, co-founder and CEO of GetAgent Exchange. "But it’s fair to say that it’s been a more challenging period for the estate agency sector specifically, with sector revenues declining consistently, largely driven by a continued increase in competition within the sector."
"The reality is that this competition is fiercer than ever, with more businesses chasing incremental gains. In this environment, additional revenue streams are too often overlooked, despite their potential to bolster earnings. Those who embrace the full spectrum of revenue opportunities, including monetising their out-of-area applicant leads, will be well placed as the market continues its gradual recovery.”
