The final instalment of The Voice of the Agent 2025 has been published, highlighting a clear divide in confidence between sales and lettings professionals as the property sector looks ahead to 2026 amid a cautious Budget and modest growth forecasts.
Part 5 of the report shows that 60% of sales-focused agents expect instructions to rise in 2026, with nearly a third describing themselves as very confident. By comparison, 31% of lettings-focused agents share that view, while a quarter say they are pessimistic about the year ahead.
With GDP growth forecast at around 1%, inflation remaining above target at 2.5%, and mortgage rates drifting down only slowly, the report characterises 2026 as “a year of cautious rebalancing” rather than dramatic recovery.
Perhaps most significantly, the analysis reveals that confidence is not evenly distributed across the market. Among the top-performing 5% of agencies, 80% express confidence about growth – with virtually no uncertainty in their outlook. The report concludes that “confidence follows capability” and that leading agencies “do not hope for growth, they engineer it.”
Real estate professionals also demonstrate notably different views from the general public on key political and economic questions. A striking 81% believe Labour has not kept its promise on income tax, VAT and National Insurance – significantly higher than the 64% nationally. Meanwhile, 66% attribute the Budget’s financial measures primarily to Labour’s choices rather than inherited constraints.
The report provides detailed analysis of the November 2025 Budget’s impact on property, including the mansion tax on homes above £2m, increased rental income taxation, and ambitious housebuilding targets. It also examines consumer confidence trends, showing that whilst public sentiment fluctuates dramatically, house prices continue their steady upward trajectory – a “disjunction that matters” for agents navigating client expectations.
Simon Leadbetter, founder of The Voice of the Agent and We Are Unchained, commented: “The Voice of the Agent has evolved from a single annual report into the property sector’s most comprehensive intelligence system. The thousands of survey responses we’ve received in 2025, combined with the sold-out success of our Bletchley Park conference, demonstrate the industry’s appetite for rigorous, evidence-based insight rather than speculation.
“As we transition to monthly reporting in 2026, we’re responding to an industry that moves faster than ever – where decisions can’t wait for annual reviews. Our commitment remains unchanged: to give agents clarity in a world that rarely offers it.”
The 2026 programme will deliver twelve themed monthly editions covering sales, lettings, portals, marketing, AI, regulation, surveying, conveyancing, politics, mental health and market outlook.
Part 5 of The Voice of the Agent 2025 is available to download here.