Multi-agent instructions are less likely to sell, research reveals

Properties sold under more than one estate agent are a staggering 46% less likely to sell compared with an off-market instruction, research suggests.

Analysis by property data brand TwentyEA, based on the performance of multi-agency selling from the beginning of 2025 to 2026 to date, found a multi-agency property is also 56% more likely to have a price reduction, take 64% longer to sell and deliver 3% less than the original asking price.

The findings were revealed in the company’s latest Property & Homemover Report.

Multi-agency agreements also typically attract higher commission rates, often around 3%, compared with approximately 1.5% for a sole agency instruction, the research shows.

Rather than generating interest, repeated listings can raise questions about why it hasn’t sold.”

For sellers, this creates the prospect of achieving a lower sale price while paying substantially more in agency fees, further reducing their final proceeds.

The figures for multi-agent listings were also compared with vendors who switch estate agent.

They suggest switchers are still more likely to sell than multi-agent properties with a likelihood of 44.5% of selling compared with 31%.

Switchers are less likely to sell by 22.5% compared with off-market properties.

The research challenges the assumption that instructing more agents leads to a faster sale and a better price, TwentyEA says.

Seller desperation

Nick Huntley (pictured), Director at TwentyEA, says: “Buyers are drawn to fresh stock. The prospect of discovering a newly listed property can generate excitement, particularly among those actively searching.

“But when the same property appears across multiple agents, its appeal can quickly fade. Rather than generating interest, repeated listings can raise questions about why it hasn’t sold, creating doubt where there may otherwise have been none.”

Multiple listings can also signal a seller’s desperation, potentially inviting lower offers, says Huntley.

Based on the average instruction price of £438,300, achieving 3% below asking price would leave a multi-agency seller around £13,200 worse off.

He adds:  “For estate agents, the challenges of multi-agency are well recognised. While greater exposure may sound attractive to buyers, our findings suggest it does not necessarily translate into better outcomes.

“For agents advising vendors who are considering this route, the statistics provide a valuable starting point for a more informed conversation about the potential impact on sale price, timescales and the overall selling experience.”