"When a buyer is also a seller, especially in another part of the country, that’s a lead that could be monetised"
- Colby Short - GetAgent
Estate agents across the UK have potentially earned tens of millions of pounds in commission over the past 30 days, according to new analysis from GetAgent Exchange. However, many agents could still be losing hundreds of pounds per sale by failing to refer buyers who also need to sell properties outside their area.
The research from GetAgent Exchange analysed the potential earnings of estate agents across 15 major UK cities. Using average fee data and the number of homes listed as sold subject to contract (SSTC) last month, the figures were adjusted to account for the fact that around 15% of SSTC sales typically do not complete. Only completed sales generate commission.
Top cities by estimated commission earnings
London topped the table with an estimated £14.95 million in commission earned from around 1,552 sales expected to complete, based on 85% of the 1,826 SSTC listings and an average fee of 1.7%.
In Manchester, 576 likely completions generated an estimated £1.87 million in commission for local agents. Glasgow followed with £959,000 from 468 transactions.
Agents in Edinburgh earned an estimated £763,000 from 263 completions. In Bristol, fees totalled approximately £726,000 across 168 transactions.
Other major cities also saw significant earnings:
Birmingham: £639,000
Leeds: £577,000
Liverpool: £454,000
Sheffield: £382,000
Even in cities with fewer transactions or lower average fees, such as Bradford, Nottingham, and Leicester, estate agents still earned between £180,000 and £355,000 in commission in the past month.
Lost income from unclaimed referral opportunities
Despite strong commission returns, GetAgent Exchange warns that many agents are missing out on additional income by overlooking buyers who also need to sell homes in different regions.
The analysis highlighted the average amount of referral income being missed per transaction in key cities:
London: £708
Brighton: £517
Bristol: £450
Edinburgh: £363
Cardiff: £341
Manchester: £313
Leeds: £308
Glasgow: £233
Bradford: £229
Liverpool: £228
“Estate agents are rightly focused on securing completions and earning well-deserved commission from those deals,” said Colby Short, co-founder and CEO of GetAgent Exchange. “But there’s an increasingly important secondary opportunity being overlooked.”
“When a buyer is also a seller, especially in another part of the country, that’s a lead that could be monetised,” Short continued. “With GetAgent Exchange, turning that lead into revenue is simple and effective. And with hundreds of pounds per sale at stake, this is income the industry can’t afford to keep ignoring.”
The analysis highlighted the average amount of referral income being missed per transaction in key cities:
London: £708
Brighton: £517
Bristol: £450
Edinburgh: £363
Cardiff: £341
Manchester: £313
Leeds: £308
Glasgow: £233
Bradford: £229
Liverpool: £228
