One in three estate agents miss key window to win instructions – claim

More than one in three estate agency proposals are being sent after the six-hour window associated with higher instruction conversion rates, according to new research from Acaboom.

The study analysed 123,010 market appraisal proposals sent by UK estate agents during the first half of 2026 and found that 35.9% were delivered more than six working hours after a valuation appointment.

Previous analysis by Acaboom found that proposals sent within six working hours are 73% more likely to convert into an instruction than those sent more than 24 hours later.

Following a market appraisal, agents typically send homeowners a proposal outlining their recommended asking price, marketing strategy, fees and service offering. With many sellers obtaining valuations from multiple agents, the timing of that proposal can play a significant role in the final decision.

The research found that 64.1% of proposals were sent within six working hours, while 18.2% took more than two working days to arrive. Almost 4,800 proposals (3.9%) were not sent until more than five working days after the appointment.

The analysis also identified regional differences in response times.

The North West recorded the fastest median turnaround, with proposals sent 2 hours and 41 minutes after a market appraisal. The West Midlands (2 hours 49 minutes) and East of England (2 hours 55 minutes) also performed strongly.

By contrast, Scotland recorded the slowest turnaround, with a typical proposal taking 5 hours and 21 minutes to reach prospective clients—almost twice as long as in the North West.

Typical proposal send time by region

Brian Farrell, founder of Acaboom, said: “Most homeowners don’t decide which estate agent to instruct while the agent is sitting in their living room. They decide afterwards, comparing the proposals they’ve received, discussing them with family and weighing up asking prices, marketing strategies and fees.

Our previous research showed that sending a proposal within six working hours is associated with a 73% higher likelihood of winning an instruction than waiting more than 24 hours. The surprising finding is that more than a third of proposals are still sent after that window.

“This isn’t about asking agents to work longer hours or spend more money. It’s about recognising that the proposal is one of the most influential moments in the homeowner’s decision-making process. The agencies that consistently get their proposals in front of homeowners while the valuation is still fresh are giving themselves a measurable competitive advantage.”