Multiple in six properties in England and Wales have been offered off-market between 2022 and 2024, in response to new information from property analytics agency TwentyEA.
The findings, printed within the firm’s newest Property & Homemover Report, reveal that 15.8% of residential property gross sales over the three-year interval occurred with out ever being publicly listed.
Off-market transactions bypass conventional routes reminiscent of property portals, property agent web sites, store home windows, and auctions, as an alternative counting on non-public networks, shopping for brokers, direct approaches, or property brokers matching patrons already on their books.
Whereas off-market offers have lengthy been a characteristic of the high-end property market, the report suggests their use has been extra widespread in recent times – although numbers are actually falling.
In accordance with the information:
In 2022, off-market transactions made up 17.8% of all residential gross sales
In 2023, that determine dipped barely to 17.2%
In 2024, off-market exercise dropped sharply to 11.4%
The decline final yr might replicate altering market situations, larger reliance on conventional advertising methods in a slower gross sales surroundings, or diminished purchaser competitors.
Katy Billany, government director of TwentyEA, mentioned: “This year-on-year contraction factors to a structural market recalibration. Provide grew by 10% in 2024 in contrast with 2023, alongside successive rate of interest reductions, encouraging extra sellers to return ahead.
“In a patrons’ market, sellers want a full advertising bundle, skilled pictures, portal listings, and lively promotion to safe a sale.”
Additional evaluation confirmed the £1m worth level marked a transparent divide in how properties have been offered. Under it, solely 6.7% of properties change palms off-market however above it, that determine jumps to twenty.1%. The distinction underscores two very completely different markets, one which is public and price-sensitive, the opposite, discreet and pushed by exclusivity.
Excessive-net-worth property transactions prioritise discretion, providing restricted viewings, unique entry, and powerful privateness protections.
In distinction, the dynamics are completely different for properties underneath £1m as a result of sellers depend on most market publicity to draw a bigger, extra price-sensitive pool of patrons.
Billany continued: “In a market the place the typical time to go SSTC now stands at 77 days – the longest up to now 5 years – sellers of properties underneath £1m ought to query whether or not the off-market method places them in the perfect place to safe a sale.”
The residential property market continues to carry out barely above 2024 ranges. Within the final quarter, the availability of New Directions rose by 1.7% in contrast with Q3 2024, whereas Gross sales Agreed volumes elevated by 3.2% over the identical interval.
The decline in exchanges seen in Q2, pushed by the surge of patrons speeding to finish forward of the Stamp Responsibility modifications in Q1, has now corrected, bringing exercise broadly consistent with Q3 2024 ranges.
Worth reductions stay a defining characteristic of the market. Yr thus far, there have been 919,000 worth reductions, the very best quantity on file and 16% greater year-on-year.
In 2025, 38.7% of concluded listings recorded no less than one worth discount, affecting all worth bands. The pattern was most pronounced amongst £1 million-plus properties, the place discount charges elevated by 3.1%.
Regionally, worth discount charges are easing within the North however rising in London and the South. Internal London particularly has seen a 3 proportion level improve, making it the weakest-performing area for worth modifications.
‘Eye-Watering’ variety of property fall-throughs revealed
