66% of estate agents have fallen out of love with major property portals, as challenger portal still free to list for agents

Almost six in ten (59%) said they were “head over heels” with what the platforms had to offer, while a further 26% described themselves as optimistic about their future together, with just 11% of respondents saying they were sceptical from the outset. 

Early user experiences were also largely favourable, with 63% describing their experience as excellent or good during this period. 

During this honeymoon phase, agents cited wider advertising reach outside of their local area, higher enquiry volumes, and increased appeal to sellers as the biggest draws, alongside strong brand visibility and ease of use. 

However, the research shows that over the years, the relationship has turned toxic. Excessive and consistent price increases, high profit margins at the expense of agents, and poor value for money have brought an end to the honeymoon period for many firms. 

Agents also pointed to unequal pricing between independents and corporate operators, limited improvement to the platforms, pay-to-play features, declining lead quality, and inflexible commercial approaches as contributing factors to growing dissatisfaction. 

As a result, two thirds of agents now say they have fallen out of love with major property portals. 

Despite this, many feel unable to walk away, with the key reasons being the hold they have on buyers when it comes to their way of searching for homes, the fact that clients expect properties to be listed there, and that the major portals hold a near-monopoly position over how and where homes are advertised. 

This sense of being locked into a “loveless relationship” is precisely what Property DriveBuy is seeking to address through the launch of its geo-location powered property search platform. The app allows buyers to discover nearby homes in real time based on their live location, while enabling agents to reach motivated, location-driven buyers without relying solely on traditional portal listing platforms. 

By shifting property search towards real-world discovery and mobile-first behaviour, Property DriveBuy aims to reduce agents’ dependence on expensive, and increasingly outdated search models, while improving lead quality and user experience for both buyers and sellers. 

Steve Foreman, Founder and CEO of Property DriveBuy, commented: 

“Our research shows that a large proportion of agents now feel trapped in a loveless relationship with the major portals and are understandably frustrated by rising costs and poor value for money. However, many continue to use them because they feel there are simply no other viable alternatives and that walking away would put them at a competitive disadvantage. 

From day one, our mission has been to change that. We want to give agents a genuine choice, while also improving the service, product, and overall proposition available to both professionals and homebuyers.  

Property DriveBuy brings property search into the modern era, allowing buyers to discover homes in real time, in the locations that matter most to them, while helping agents connect with motivated, location-driven demand without being locked into inflexible, expensive contracts. 

Our free access period to Property DriveBuy is now entering its final phase and this is very much a last opportunity for agents to secure risk-free access ahead of our major above-the-line national marketing campaign in March. What have you got to lose?” 

Data Tables and sources

• *Survey of 636 UK estate agents carried out by ProperPR on behalf of Property DriveBuy via consumer research platform Find Out Now (4th February 2026).

• View the full data tables and sources online here.