How we rank agents

The data behind every ranking

The AgentSeeker Score runs from 0 to 100 and is built from four things we can actually observe, each worth up to 25 points. Reputation: the agent's Google rating and how many people took the time to leave one. Value: how competitive the fee is. Activity: how many homes they currently have on the market in your postcode district. Standing: how they rank against the other agents working that district. That is the entire model, and we would rather show you exactly what it measures than imply it knows more than it does.

A word on that fee, because it is ours as often as it is theirs. An agent who has registered with us may set their own, either a fixed percentage or a range. For every other agent, AgentSeeker sets the fee on the seller's behalf from published industry data for the local price bracket, and our ranking pages label which is which. We then quote that agent the fee you were shown. They are free to decline the enquiry, but they cannot accept it and then charge you more.

Two things it does not yet include are each agent's achieved price against their asking price, and their average time to sell. Those are arguably the two figures that matter most to you, and we are building them from HM Land Registry records rather than asking agents to report on themselves. Until that data is ready we leave them out, because a number we cannot stand behind is worse than no number at all.

How the agents you see are ordered

Agents are ordered by their AgentSeeker Score, highest first. Nothing else changes that order. An agent cannot buy a higher position, we do not hand-adjust anyone's score, and there is no hidden multiplier sitting behind the number you see.

If we ever show a promoted placement, it will sit outside the ranked list and be labelled as promoted, with a plain note that the agent is paying to appear there. The performance figures shown are the same real data for every agent on the page.

How we make money, and why it does not change the order

The agent you sell through pays us a referral fee on completion, out of their commission. It is free for you. Crucially, the arrangement is the same whichever agent you choose, so we gain nothing by nudging you toward one over another. Our incentive is for you to pick an agent who actually sells your home, because that is when the model works for everyone.

What we do not do

• We do not sell your personal data.
• We do not run display ads.
• We do not let an agent invent or inflate their track record.
• We do not pass your details to any agent until you ask us to.

Why we publish this

A comparison site sits between you and one of the biggest financial decisions of your life, and that position is rightly under scrutiny. Putting our method in writing is how we earn the trust to be useful. If you want the money side spelled out too, see our no hidden fees promise, and you can start by comparing agents in your area.

Common questions

Do agents pay to rank higher?

No. Agents pay us a referral fee only when a sale completes, and it is the same arrangement whichever agent you choose. Paying us does not move an agent up the ranking, and we do not adjust anyone's score by hand. If we ever sell a promoted placement it will sit outside the ranked list and say plainly that the agent is paying to appear there.

Where does your agent data come from?

Google reviews for reputation, live listing data for how active an agent is in your postcode district, and the fee they have committed to. HM Land Registry underpins the local market figures on our town pages. We are building each agent's achieved-price and sale-time record from Land Registry as well, and until that is ready we leave those figures out rather than guess at them.

Are partner or featured agents independent?

We do not currently show partner or featured agents anywhere in the ranking. If that ever changes, they will be labelled as promoted, shown outside the ranked list, and their performance figures will be the same real data as everyone else's.

How does AgentSeeker make money?

The agent you sell through pays us a referral fee on completion, out of their commission. It is free for you, and because the fee is the same whoever you choose, we have no reason to favour one agent over another.

Do you sell my data?

No. We do not sell your personal data and we do not run display ads. We never pass your details to an agent until you ask us to contact them.