The number of estate agency businesses in the UK could increase by over 4% in 2026, according to research from The Property DriveBuy. The growth marks another year of expansion for the sector and will intensify market competition.
Property DriveBuy analysed Office for National Statistics data from 2017 to 2025 on active estate agency businesses across the UK and its regions.
The data shows 25,665 active estate agency businesses operated in the UK during 2025. This represents a 2% annual increase compared to 2024's total of 25,155.
Growth proved particularly strong in the West Midlands, which saw a 6.1% rise, followed by the East of England at 2.8%. London, the East Midlands, Yorkshire & Humber, the North West and Scotland all recorded steady gains between 2% and 2.2%. Only the North East saw agent numbers decline, falling 0.8% compared to the previous year.
The number of agencies in the UK has grown consistently year-on-year since 2017. Today's agent count stands almost 6,400 higher than it was in 2017.
Using an exponential growth forecasting model that includes interpolation, accounts for seasonality and is based on a middle-bound confidence interval, PropertyDriveBuy estimates the nation's estate agent count could increase by a further 4.1% in 2026. This would bring the UK total to 26,705.
"As more agents enter the market each year, we're seeing competition intensify, forcing everyone to raise the bar," said Steve Foreman, founder and chief executive of The Property DriveBuy. "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."
