Estate and letting agents are becoming more confident about their own businesses while losing faith in politicians’ ability to tackle the housing crisis, according to new industry research.
The latest Voice of the Agent study found net business confidence across the sector has risen from +7% to +16%, with 47% of agencies expecting their businesses to continue growing despite wider economic uncertainty.
Confidence in Business, Not Politicians
However, the improving commercial outlook contrasts with agents’ views of Westminster, with 43% unable to identify a single political party they trust most on housing.
No individual party commands the confidence of even one in six agents, according to the seventh report in the Voice of the Agent 2026 research series, which combines industry research with YouGov consumer data.
The findings suggest confidence has strengthened for a second consecutive year, although agencies’ expectations are increasingly centred on measured and sustainable growth rather than rapid expansion.
This shift towards more cautious growth expectations may be driven by the agents’ growing awareness of the complex interplay between economic factors, such as interest rates and inflation, and the housing market. As a result, agents are likely to be more focused on long-term strategies and adaptability, rather than short-term gains.
Regional Confidence
Sentiment towards house prices also remained positive across every UK region, with Scotland recording the highest level of confidence at +23%, followed by the North West at +21%.
However, prospective movers were less optimistic than the wider public about future house prices for the first time since 2024.
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The regional variations in confidence levels may be influenced by factors such as local economic conditions, housing supply, and demographic trends. For instance, areas with strong economic growth and limited housing supply may experience higher confidence levels, while areas with slower economic growth and ample housing supply may experience lower confidence levels.
Simon Leadbetter, curator of The Voice of the Agent, said: “Politics and economics now shape estate agency as much as marketing, technology or portals, and agents aren’t looking for ideology, they’re looking for stability, credible housing policy and economic competence.
The profession remains optimistic about its own future, but remarkably sceptical that any political party currently has the answers to Britain’s housing challenges.”
Understanding the Market
The report concludes that as the property market becomes more stable, agents increasingly believe success will depend on understanding interest rates, inflation, politics and international markets alongside traditional agency skills.
The findings are based on 351 responses collected through The Voice of the Agent, weighted against an independently recruited random sample of 90 UK estate and letting agents conducted by Find Out Now, alongside nationally representative YouGov consumer research.
It’s likely that the industry will continue to focus on these key areas, as the housing market continues to evolve, and agents adapt to the changing setting, and that’s what they’re doing, they’re adapting.
The combination of industry research and YouGov consumer data provides a full understanding of the housing market and the factors that influence it. By analyzing the responses from estate and letting agents, as well as the broader consumer population, the report is able to identify trends and patterns that may not be immediately apparent from a single data source.
Furthermore, the use of an independently recruited random sample of agents, weighted against the larger dataset, helps to ensure that the findings are representative of the industry as a whole, rather than just a specific segment or region. This approach allows for a more subtle understanding of the housing market and the factors that drive it, and provides valuable insights for agents, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
