Self-employed estate agents are more likely to sell homes, achieve stronger prices and complete transactions faster than traditional estate agency firms, according to new analysis from TwentyEA.
The research found that self-employed agents successfully sell 65% of listed properties, compared with 53% for traditional agents.
They also complete transactions around 10 days faster on average and record lower fall-through rates, with 21% of deals collapsing compared with 24% across the traditional sector.
Despite the stronger performance metrics, self-employed agents still account for just 2.8% of the overall market, versus 97% for traditional agencies.
STRONG GAINS
However, the model is continuing to grow rapidly, driven largely by the expansion of platforms such as eXp.
TwentyEA’s analysis shows that the market share of self-employed agents increased by 24.8% year-on-year in Q1 2026, rising from 2.2% to 2.8%.
Growth was recorded across every price bracket, with the strongest gains seen in homes priced between £350,000 and £1m, as well as the £1m-plus market, where market share increased by 0.7 percentage points annually.
At the regional level, Wales recorded the strongest market share growth, with self-employed agents now accounting for 4% of the market, up from 2.7% a year earlier.
The North East also saw rapid expansion, with market share increasing from 0.9% to 1.4%, representing annual growth of 56.5%.
Scotland was the only region to record a decline in self-employed agent market share over the period.
GREATER FLEXIBILITY
According to TwentyEA, there are now around 2,000 self-employed agents operating across the UK, with approximately half working in partnership with eXp.
Nick Huntley (main picture, inset), Director of TwentyEA, says: “The self-employed businesses tell us that agents are being drawn to models that offer greater flexibility, stronger earning potential and more control.
“The data provides a fascinating insight into how the sector is evolving across the different key metrics such as region and price band.
“For agents considering the self-employed model, the guide offers valuable context, real perspectives and practical advice from people already succeeding in the space.”
Property Soup revealed yesterday how eXp UK says it continues to outperform the wider property market when it comes to winning new instructions as increased seller confidence fuels stronger activity levels across the sector.
