The property market doesn't clock off at 6pm – up to 32% of leads generated out of hours

Up to 32% of leads generated through ValPal Pro are being created outside traditional estate agency opening hours, new data from The ValPal Network shows.

The figures underline how homeowner activity increasingly extends beyond the working day, with prospective sellers continuing to engage online during evenings and weekends when agency teams may be unavailable to respond immediately.

During August, ValPal Pro generated 3,634 appointment requests and 3,802 callback requests, creating 7,436 direct opportunities for agents in total.

The wider ValPal platform recorded 47,401 valuation leads during the month, demonstrating that large numbers of homeowners are not only researching what their property may be worth, but are also taking the next step towards direct contact with an agent.

When conventional office hours are defined as 9am to 6pm, seven days a week, around 25% to 26% of ValPal Pro activity takes place outside those hours. If Sunday is treated as a non-working day, that proportion rises to around 31% to 32%.

Craig Vile, Director of The ValPal Network, said: "Our figures clearly demonstrate that, with ValPal Pro, agents have the ability to say: 'We never close.'

"In today's demanding world, consumers increasingly expect businesses to be responsive when it suits them, not simply between 9am and 6pm.

"Someone considering selling their home in the evening or at the weekend is every bit as valuable a prospect as someone making an enquiry during office hours.

"AI allows that initial conversation to begin immediately, while interest is still high, without asking agency teams to work around the clock. The technology handles availability; the agent still owns the relationship and ultimately wins the instruction."

The August data also showed a shift towards later activity during the day, with 3pm becoming the busiest hour and activity at 5pm increasing by 15.1.

Vile said: "These figures reinforce the importance of always-on lead engagement in a market where speed of response can influence which agent secures the first meaningful conversation with a prospective seller."