Three quarters of all property buyers conduct their property search after 17:00, at a time when most estate agency offices are already closed. This is according to a survey by the platform Street.co.uk. The study is based on responses from 1,073 individuals who recently purchased a property, highlighting a significant shift of research activity into the evening hours.
Strong concentration on late evening hours
The detailed breakdown of the survey data shows that 40 per cent of respondents prefer searching for suitable properties between 17:00 and 20:00. A further 35 per cent dedicate themselves to this task after 20:00. Taken together, a clear majority of 75 per cent of private buyers use the evening and night hours to review listings and assess the market.
This user behaviour reflects the day-to-day reality of many buyers. The time-consuming review of property particulars, images and location descriptions is primarily carried out once professional commitments are finished for the day. For property agents, this creates a discrepancy between traditional on-site office hours and the actual peak activity times of prospective buyers.
Overview of key findings
- —40 per cent of surveyed buyers conduct research between 17:00 and 20:00.
- —35 per cent of property searches take place after 20:00.
- —Only 25 per cent of prospective buyers are active during standard office hours before 17:00.
With the majority of prospective buyers active at a late hour, the digital provision of information takes on added importance. In practice, enquiries submitted late in the evening via portals or agency websites do not reach a personal point of contact until the following day.
The results from Street.co.uk underline how fundamentally the property search process has shifted. For agencies and market participants, the survey of 1,073 buyers demonstrates that round-the-clock accessibility and prompt response channels must align with the rhythm of home seekers.
