Properties listed with multiple estate agents are significantly less likely to sell, according to new research by TwentyEA. The analysis found that multi-agency listings were 46% less likely to secure a sale than properties marketed through a single, first-time instruction.
The research, published in TwentyEA’s Q3 2026 Property & Homemover Report, also indicated that multi-agency properties were 56% more likely to undergo a price reduction. They took 64% longer to sell and achieved 3% less than their original asking price.
Based on an average UK instruction price of £438,300, a 3% reduction could mean a shortfall of approximately £13,200. Multi-agency agreements also tend to have higher commission rates, often around 3%, compared to about 1.5% for sole agency instructions.
Nick Huntley, director at TwentyEA, suggested that repeated listings could undermine buyer confidence. He stated that when the same property appears across multiple agents, its appeal can fade, potentially raising questions about why it has not sold.
The research also highlighted regional differences, with London accounting for the six postcode areas with the highest proportions of multi-agency listings. North West London leads with 21.6% of properties marketed by more than one agent, followed by West London at 21.3%.
While the findings show a strong association between multi-agency marketing and poorer sales outcomes, the research does not establish direct causation. Vendors may turn to multi-agency arrangements after a property has already struggled to attract buyers.