For years, the agents with the most boards and the biggest patches were seen as the ones winning. If your name was everywhere, you must have been the best, right? That used to be the game everyone tried to play.
But things have changed. Sellers don’t just want an agent who’s everywhere. They want one who feels right for them. Someone who understands their road, their home, and their move. Someone who sounds real, not like every other agent in town saying the same thing.
That’s why the “do it all” approach doesn’t work anymore in my eyes. Being a bit of everything spreads you too thin. It’s harder to stand out when your marketing, your pitch and your service sound like everyone else’s. And when that happens, the only thing a seller can compare is your fee. And is that really a conversation you want to get into?
The agents who are winning now aren’t trying to be everywhere. They’re picking a lane and owning it. They’re the go-to person for one type of property, one patch or one kind of client. They talk about it, they show it, and before long, everyone knows what they’re about.
And here’s the key part. When you’re known for something, you don’t have to sell anywhere near as hard. People come to you already trusting that you’re the right fit. You don’t need to convince them. They already believe it from what they have seen and experienced.
A lot of agents worry that narrowing their focus will mean less business. It doesn’t, trust me. It just means better business. The kind that pays properly, runs smoother and doesn’t drive you mad. Because you’re working with the clients who fit you best.
If you’re not sure where to start, look at your past year. What kind of homes sold fastest? Where do you know the area better than anyone else? Which clients did you actually enjoy working with? That’s your clue. Build around that.
The days of being all things to all people are over. The agents who try will fade into the noise.
The ones who win in 2026 will be the ones who pick a lane, double down, and make it theirs.
Chris Webb is the founder of The Estate Agent Consultancy.
What a load of tosh
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actually, based on my experience he is spot on
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Total rubbish
People sell in average every 8 years
They have no idea what agent does what
Agents think the whole world is interested in their job
It is not
The high end agents are Savills Hamptons etc
The rest are much the same
Vendors are going to call in a number of agents to value and pitch
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What a load of rubbish this article is. And from an Estate Agency Consultant as well. The Agent was the best board presence in an area is the one the seller will go to first for a valuation at least. Boards breed boards, always has done and always will do. With less stock available, sales generally slower across the board and with the same predictions for 2026, ‘picking one lane’ and sticking to it could be a recipe for disaster. And yes, sellers do want an Agent who is everywhere for a supposedly maximum marketing coverage and who can offer a complete ‘do it all service’.
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This definitely aligns with what we’ve seen over the last 5 years as we have refined our business. We closed our sales arm in 2020, to focus our brand as lettings and property management experts- which had always been our primary focus. With a new website launched in early 2024, and an evolving marketing strategy, we’ve had a record-breaking year for new landlord enquiries and instructions. Not only that, but the calibre and alignment of our clients and us means we are often their only agent of choice/interest and our fees are rarely questioned. As the use of AI grows, and consumers can frame their nuanced requirements of what their ideal agents looks/acts/performs like, this will only become more apparent. ChatGPT has been our biggest source of clients in 2025. With more and more London councils banning boards, the old ways odf doing things just wont cut it- at least not in cosmopolitan areas.
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