Estate agents operating in urban markets dominated by flats are having to work significantly harder to match the commission earned from selling detached homes, new analysis from eXp UK shows.
The firm examined average estate agency fees across England and applied them to regional sold prices by property type to assess earning potential.
Across England, the commission from selling a detached home is almost 73% higher on average than that from a flat.
The South East records the widest gap. Agents earn an estimated £10,641 in commission on a detached home, compared with £3,278 for a flat – a 105.8% difference. In practical terms, an agent would need to sell more than three flats to match the income from a single detached sale.
REGIONAL DISPARITIES
The West Midlands shows a 99.7% gap, while the East Midlands (96.1%), North East (95.4%) and South West (95.2%) also post stark disparities.
London has the smallest differential due to higher flat values, but even in the capital, commission on a detached home is still 91.2% higher than on a flat.
WORKLOAD IMPACT
Adam Day (main picture, inset), Head of eXp UK and Europe, says: “Agents working in urban markets are often dealing with higher volumes of flats, which on the surface can look positive, but the reality is that the commission secured per sale is significantly lower than for detached homes.
“In many regions, an agent needs to sell more than two flats, and in some cases closer to three, just to match the commission earned from a single detached property transaction. That has a real impact on workload, time pressures and long-term earning sustainability.
“Even in London the gap between selling a flat and a detached home is still substantial.”
“Even in London, where flat values remain high by national standards, the gap between selling a flat and a detached home is still substantial. Understanding how local housing stock shapes earning potential is critical for agents when building a business that balances volume, value and personal capacity.”
