The UK residential sales market is experiencing a growing imbalance between seller activity and buyer demand, according to a survey of more than 300 estate agents commissioned by GetAgent.
While the supply side remains active, agents report increasing difficulty converting market activity into completed transactions, with buyer hesitation emerging as a key challenge for the sector.
Market sentiment declines
The survey found that 53% of agents describe the residential sales market as either slightly or much weaker than a year ago, while 20% say conditions have improved and 29% report little change.
However, seller activity appears more resilient than buyer engagement. Nearly half of agents – 48% – say the quality of seller leads has improved to some degree in the past year, compared with 24% who believe it has worsened.
In contrast, 58% report a decline in the quality of buyer leads entering the market, while just 15% say buyer lead quality has improved. This trend mirrors recent data showing sales agreed falling 8% despite new listings hitting record levels.
Conversion challenges
When asked about the biggest obstacle facing their business, 30% of agents cited generating motivated buyer leads as their primary concern. A further 25% said converting viewings into offers was their main challenge, while 20% pointed to progressing agreed sales through to completion.
The difficulty in converting activity into transactions comes at a time when industry voices are calling for stamp duty reform to stimulate market activity.
Business investment and outlook
Despite the challenges, 87% of agents are investing in their businesses to navigate current market conditions, with technology and AI tools the most popular area of investment. Nearly eight in 10 agents believe strong lead generation is more important than it was a year ago, with 60% saying it has become significantly more important.
GetAgent Co-Founder and Chief Executive Colby Short noted that agents remain cautious about the second half of 2026. While 29% expect market conditions to strengthen, 43% believe they will remain broadly unchanged, and a further 29% expect conditions to weaken further.
The findings suggest the UK property market faces continued uncertainty, with the gap between seller willingness and buyer commitment creating operational challenges for estate agents across the country.
