The FSBO market in the UK vs the rest of the world
The UK has historically had a lower rate of private property sales than markets like the United States (where, post-NAR commission settlement in 2024, the agent model is under structural pressure) and Australia (where private sales are a well-established, mainstream option in several states).
There are cultural and structural reasons for this. UK conveyancing is complex. The chain system — where multiple sales and purchases are interdependent — creates anxiety about managing a sale without professional oversight.
But those reasons have never been as strong as the industry has suggested. Conveyancing is handled by your solicitor, not your agent. Chains are managed, ultimately, by solicitors on both sides. The agent's role in a chain is primarily to chase people — a task that any organised seller can do themselves, with occasional help from their solicitor.
The gap between UK and international FSBO rates is narrowing. The tools have arrived. The conditions are right. The only thing the UK private sale market has been waiting for is a platform that takes it seriously.
