How the Housing Market is Changing (and What it Means for High Street Estate Agents)

10 Oct

Having worked in the UK housing market for 20+ years now, I know it never stands still. But in the last 5-plus years operating as a Camberley estate agent, the level of transformation I’ve seen has accelerated.

Not long ago, even the idea one could successfully sell their home without using a ‘traditional’ high street estate agent was fanciful. But the rapid rise of independent hybrid and online-only agents has given homeowners new options.

So, what’s driven the big market changes and what does it mean for homeowners and buyers?

The High Street ‘Volume Model’

Nobody likes to feel ‘like a number’. In customer service terms, whether you are shopping for groceries or selling a house, it is a big turn-off. Yet the reality is that larger high street estate agents all operate on a volume-driven model. Their business relies on listing as many new properties as possible each month. Your house is a number on a sales whiteboard, or a row in an Excel sheet.

Their approach involves uploading property listings to portals like Rightmove and Zoopla, and adding a card to their shop window. That’s it.

Individual properties rarely get the bespoke attention they deserve. Agents simply don’t have the time or resources to create tailored strategies for every seller, and as a result, many homes are marketed with a generic ‘one-size-fits-all' approach. And I know this because I have been there, working in such environments.

While this might have worked in the past, when the high street was a first port of call for home buyers, today the strategy is fundamentally flawed and leaves sellers short-changed.

Beyond Rightmove

Online portals like Rightmove and Zoopla have revolutionised access to property listings. For most buyers, these platforms are now where they start their search. But simply being present across all of these portal is not enough. In most residential areas, there is so much choice and competition competition for eyeballs, a property can easily be lost in the noise. There are, of course, 'premium’ and other featured listing options to consider but still you need more.

Forward-thinking estate agents understand that you cannot rely solely on buyers stumbling across your listing. Instead, you need a clear, multi-pronged strategy to proactively reach the right audiences wherever they are online or offline – whether that’s first-time buyers, upsizers, downsizers or investors.

The Modern Marketing Toolkit

Today’s property journey demands a far more sophisticated approach to marketing than the traditional estate agent model provides. That includes:

Targeted digital promotion on social channels like Facebook and Instagram to reach specific demographics and geographies.

Search marketing strategies that position properties in front of motivated buyers at the moment they are actively looking.

Rich, engaging content – from video walkthroughs and drone photography to social storytelling – that captures attention and drives shareability.

In other words, property marketing must evolve and draw from the playbook of digital brand building, not just local brochure distribution.

Smarter Sellers, Smarter Buyers

Buyers and sellers themselves are better informed than ever. They have access to market data, valuation tools, and insights at their fingertips. Sellers often have a well-informed idea of their property’s value before the agent has even set foot inside, while buyers track trends, research neighbourhoods, and compare options long before making contact.

This shift has created a demand for agents who can add real value – and not simply act as a ‘middleman’.

Agent of Change: From Gatekeeper to Strategist

High street agents once held the keys to the market – literally and figuratively. Today, information is democratised, and their role is changing (arguably diminishing, even). The best agents – whether independent, hybrid or on the high street – need to pivot from being volume-driven gatekeepers to becoming strategic marketers and negotiators.

That means fewer generic listings, and more focus on how to position each property for success in a crowded, digital-first marketplace. Sellers should expect – and demand – this level of tailored strategy. Why? Because this offers the best opportunity to sell homes quickly and to maximise the sale price.

A Look Ahead

Technology, consumer expectations, and new digital platforms will continue to shape how homes are found and sold. And my not-so-bold prediction is that traditional estate agents who cling to the volume model will find themselves increasingly sidelined.

In their place will be the agents who embrace a smarter, more targeted, and more proactive approach – those that combine digital marketing expertise with deep market knowledge.

Today’s sellers don’t just need their property listed; they need it strategically launched into the right channels, putting it in front of the right buyers, at the right times.

If this is something you are seeking advice on, whether you’re considering Camberley estate agents or live elsewhere nearby, please get in touch.