Estate agents pressured to reply within 24 hours; new portal offers real‑time transaction updates

Research by Street Group of 1,830 recent home sellers shows that 85% expect estate agents to respond to an initial enquiry within 24 hours, with one in five considering anything longer than four hours too slow. Only 4% view waiting more than two working days as acceptable. The 24‑hour expectation extends to viewing feedback, buyer‑interest updates, offer notifications and post‑sale questions. Heather Staff, co‑founder of Street Group, said, “Sellers increasingly expect estate agents to operate on a same‑day timescale. Across almost every stage of the sales journey, the expectation is that communication happens within 24 hours.”

In response to these digital‑era expectations, The Partnership, a property‑legal firm, has launched an online portal that lets clients, estate agents, mortgage brokers and conveyancers exchange documents, send secure messages and monitor transaction milestones in real time. Managing director Peter Ambrose said, “One of the biggest frustrations when you’re buying or selling a home is not knowing what’s going on. Clients, estate agents and brokers all want clear updates and confidence that things are moving in the right direction.” The platform aims to increase transparency, reduce delays and give all parties clearer visibility throughout the home‑moving process.