Property sector bucks national trend with rising employment and renewed confidence

The latest research from GetAgent.co.uk has found that, while many industries across the UK have reduced headcount over the last year, the property sector has gone against the grain, adding more than 5,000 additional employees and underlining its long-term confidence.

GetAgent analysed the latest data from the Office for National Statistics* on the number of payrolled employees across the UK's major industries.

The analysis shows that between August 2024 and August 2025, the real estate sector grew its workforce by 5,904, climbing from 465,415 to 471,319 employees - an increase of 1.3%.

This places the sector among the best performers across the economy. By contrast, industries such as manufacturing, construction, retail, accommodation and food services have all seen year-on-year declines in staff numbers.

At a national level, the UK recorded an overall drop of 0.4% in payrolled employees, meaning real estate was one of the few sectors to buck the trend.

Only energy production and supply (3.6%), water supply, sewerage and waste (2.9%), and health and social work (1.6%) registered stronger annual rates of employment growth.

The resilience of the property sector is particularly notable given ongoing affordability pressures, higher borrowing costs and cautious buyer demand.

But despite these headwinds, transaction levels are climbing and firms across the industry, from estate agents to property managers, are continuing to invest in people. This highlights not just resilience, but also longer-term confidence, as businesses prepare themselves to capitalise on further growth.

Short, Co-founder and CEO of GetAgent, commented:

"While we're seeing more tech and AI tools enter the property space, the reality is that this is still a people-first sector and the addition of more than 5,000 employees over the past year shows that businesses are investing in staff to strengthen capability, build resilience and prepare for the future.

The property market doesn't react instantly, and today's hires are about being ready for tomorrow's demand. With transactions already up 15% year-on-year and on track to return to pre-Covid averages, firms know that having the right people in place is vital to capture business and drive performance when activity peaks.

It's a positive sign for the sector that, despite wider economic uncertainty, employers remain committed to growing their teams and that's a strong indicator of confidence in the housing market's long-term health."