Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Team from a report by Property Industry Eye. Read the original article for full details.
Over a Third of Estate Agents Miss Key Six-Hour Proposal Window
More than one in three estate agency proposals in the UK 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.
The research highlights the importance of timing for letting agents and inventory clerks, as 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. After a market appraisal, agents typically send homeowners a proposal outlining the recommended asking price, marketing strategy, fees, and service offering. With many sellers obtaining valuations from multiple agents, the timing of the proposal can play a significant role in the final decision.
The study 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.
Regional Differences in Proposal Turnaround Times
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 had quick response times. 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 times by region included:
- North West: 2h 41m
- West Midlands: 2h 49m
- East of England: 2h 55m
- South East: 3h 05m
- Yorkshire & Humber: 3h 33m
- East Midlands: 3h 39m
- North East: 3h 49m
- London: 4h 02m
- Wales: 4h 21m
- South West: 4h 38m
- Scotland: 5h 21m
The findings underline the competitive advantage for agencies that deliver proposals promptly after a market appraisal, especially in a market where sellers often compare multiple agents.
Source: Property Industry Eye