Three-quarters of homebuyers do their property hunting after 5pm

Street.co.uk surveyed 1,073 people who have purchased a property within the last year, asking when they are most likely to conduct their property search and what level of service they expect from estate agents outside conventional working hours.

The research shows that Saturday is the single most popular day for property hunting, with 29% of buyers most likely to browse for a home, followed closely by Sunday at 27%.

A further 20% are most likely to search on a Friday, meaning 76% of buyers favour the extended weekend period between Friday and Sunday.

But it's not just the day of the week that presents a challenge for estate agents when it comes to remaining responsive to prospective buyers.

Three-quarters of homebuyers are most likely to browse after 5pm, with 40% favouring the period between 5pm and 8pm and a further 35% most likely to search after 8pm.

While buyers may be conducting their property searches outside conventional working hours, they increasingly expect to be able to act immediately when they find a home that catches their eye.

Some 86% of those surveyed said they expect to be able to submit an enquiry about a property immediately, regardless of the time or day.

What's more, 69% believe estate agents should offer buyers more functionality outside office hours than a simple email enquiry form.

When asked what they would expect to be able to do online while an estate agent's office is closed, buyers pointed to a range of practical functions including viewing available appointments, booking a property viewing, receiving confirmation that an enquiry has been received, requesting a call from the agency and rearranging or cancelling an existing viewing.

The research also suggests buyers are increasingly comfortable with technology bridging the gap between when they are searching for property and when an estate agent is physically available.

Some 88% believe the increasing availability of AI-powered technology should allow estate agents to provide a greater range of services outside their usual office hours to help buyers progress their enquiries.

When asked which services they would be happy to use through an AI-powered assistant while an estate agent's office is closed, checking available viewing appointments, receiving confirmation that an enquiry has been received and booking a property viewing ranked as the most popular options.

Rearranging or cancelling a viewing and arranging contact from a member of the agency team were also among the tasks buyers said they would be happy to complete using AI.

Heather Staff, Co-CEO of Street Group, commented:

“Our research highlights just how much the way buyers and sellers search for properties or request valuations, has moved beyond traditional estate agency opening hours. The stats show that agents need to be able to engage with buyers at the times they're actually active.

“The answer isn't for estate agents to work every evening and weekend. Modern consumer-facing technology, AI and automation can bridge that gap, allowing buyers to make an enquiry, check viewing availability or book an appointment when the office is closed, while ensuring the agent has the information they need to pick up and progress that conversation.

“This is exactly the kind of problem we're focused on solving at Street.co.uk. Technology should allow an agency to win buyers and sellers even when its people aren't sitting behind a desk, giving homemovers the experience they increasingly expect while allowing agents to focus on the expertise, relationships and service that really move transactions forward.”