These groundbreaking numbers were revealed on stage at EA Masters in front of more than 1,100 estate agents by myself and the wonderful Katy Billany from TwentyEA.
Working with their awesome data boffins at TwentyEA HQ, we analysed the outcomes of the 939k of UK home sales and 755k UK exchanges since 1 January 2025.
What we found surprised even us.
Self employed estate agents are:
• 12% more likely to get a home sold (ie exchanged & completed)
• Completing the sale 23 days quicker on average
• Achieving an average of £5,400 more for their vendor
No tricks. No selective towns. No cherry picking. This is national.
So, the obvious question is why?
Is it the relationship-based approach to estate agency?
Is it the continuity of one point of contact from instruction to completion?
Is it the extra time they can give to each client?
Or is it simply that when your business is your name above the door, you care differently?
I am not saying one model is better for everyone. There is brilliant, employed estate agents, even 20+ branch EA that blow these self employed agent’s numbers above out of the water and there are weak self-employed agents are awful. This is not about identity. It is about outcomes.
The data is telling us something. So, as an profession, instead of defending our corner, or waving our willys (or whatever you wave), let us start the bigger conversation is:
What would it look like if we every UK estate agent worked with the same levels?
Are the self employed agents doing something different on their depth of care, skill, personal accountability and follow through?
That is the debate worth having.
Working with their awesome data boffins at TwentyEA HQ, we analysed the outcomes of the 939k of UK home sales and 755k UK exchanges since 1 January 2025.
What we found surprised even us.
Self employed estate agents are:
• 12% more likely to get a home sold (ie exchanged & completed)
• Completing the sale 23 days quicker on average
• Achieving an average of £5,400 more for their vendor
No tricks. No selective towns. No cherry picking. This is national.
So, the obvious question is why?
Is it the relationship-based approach to estate agency?
Is it the continuity of one point of contact from instruction to completion?
Is it the extra time they can give to each client?
Or is it simply that when your business is your name above the door, you care differently?
I am not saying one model is better for everyone. There is brilliant, employed estate agents, even 20+ branch EA that blow these self employed agent’s numbers above out of the water and there are weak self-employed agents are awful. This is not about identity. It is about outcomes.
The data is telling us something. So, as an profession, instead of defending our corner, or waving our willys (or whatever you wave), let us start the bigger conversation is:
What would it look like if we every UK estate agent worked with the same levels?
Are the self employed agents doing something different on their depth of care, skill, personal accountability and follow through?
That is the debate worth having.
