The Property Perfectionist™

Real examples show how Instagram, Facebook and professional video are changing the way homes are sold.

I’ve been working in estate agency for over 18 years, and there’s one thing I find increasingly difficult to understand.

Why are some estate agents still relying almost entirely on Rightmove, a few photographs and a hopeful phone call to sell someone’s most valuable asset?

Don’t get me wrong. Rightmove is hugely important, and professional photography is essential.

But it’s 2026. We have Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, targeted digital advertising and the ability to put a beautifully presented home in front of thousands of potential buyers.

Surely we should be making the most of that?

If your estate agent isn’t producing property videos and actively promoting them, are they genuinely exploring every opportunity to find you a buyer?

Let Me Show You What I Mean

Take this wonderful detached house on Wickham Way in Park Langley, Beckenham.

It’s a substantial family home with plenty to offer, but one feature really deserves the spotlight.

Its own indoor swimming pool.

Now, I could simply take a photograph, upload it to Rightmove and write “indoor swimming pool” in the property description.

Job done, apparently.

But where’s the imagination in that?

I want buyers to picture themselves starting the morning with a swim, exercising throughout the year, enjoying the pool with their children or unwinding after a busy day.

No gym membership. No driving to the leisure centre. No worrying about the British weather.

That’s not just a swimming pool. That’s a lifestyle.

And that’s what I wanted the video to communicate.

Watch the Wickham Way property video below.

Does Social Media Actually Help Sell Houses?

Here’s where things get interesting.

According to Ofcom’s research published in April 2026, 89% of UK adult internet users use at least one social media platform.

Among 16 to 34-year-olds, that figure rises to 97%.

That’s an enormous audience, including people who might not be actively searching property portals but who could be tempted by the right home.

And it’s not just about people watching videos.

Research published by estate agency technology company Rex Software in January 2026 found that 53% of people responding to social media property advertisements did not yet have their own property listed for sale.

Think about what that means.

A potential buyer might see a property video, fall in love with the house and decide that now is the time to move.

They might not have been looking on Rightmove at all.

That’s the real opportunity. Social media can introduce your property to people who weren’t even planning to look for it.

A London Flat, Three Months on the Market, Then 14 Viewings in One Day

This is one of my favourite examples.

In February 2026, House & Garden published an article about estate agents successfully using Instagram to sell properties.

One of those agents was Kate Brookfield, who had built a following by producing engaging property content and showcasing the lifestyle surrounding the homes she marketed.

A couple approached her after their two-bedroom flat had spent three months on the market with a traditional high street agent.

Sound familiar?

Kate created a video introducing the property and its neighbourhood, including the independent shops, cafés and atmosphere of the local area.

The result?

14 viewings in a single day.

And the property ultimately sold for £832,500 in cash.

Now, that’s not evidence that every property video will produce the same result. But it’s a pretty compelling example of what can happen when a home is presented differently and reaches a fresh audience.

It wasn’t simply about showing the rooms.

It was about showing people why they might want to live there.

Some Agents Are Selling Houses Before They Even Reach Rightmove

Another example comes from estate agency Sanderson Young.

In July 2026, the company reported that several properties promoted through its social media channels had sold directly before reaching the open market.

That’s right. Before they were even publicly launched.

The company also reported that property clicks from its social media activity had increased by approximately 360% year on year.

And one of its agents was generating around 87,000 weekly views, with more than 81% coming from people who didn’t already follow him.

That final statistic is particularly interesting.

It demonstrates how social media content can reach well beyond an estate agent’s existing audience.

Instead of relying entirely on people searching a property website, the agent is putting homes in front of new people.

Of course, these are the agency’s own reported results, rather than an independent industry-wide study.

Nevertheless, they demonstrate that social media can do considerably more than generate a few likes.

It can generate enquiries, attract buyers and, in some cases, lead directly to sales.

What About the Actual Advertising Numbers?

Rex Software also analysed approximately £450,000 of advertising expenditure across 186 UK property marketing campaigns.

Its research reported an average click-through rate of 7.4% for property advertisements on Facebook, while Instagram Stories and Reels achieved rates above 10% in its sample.

In simple terms, well-targeted property advertising was successfully encouraging people to take action rather than simply scroll past.

These figures measure advertising engagement, not completed property sales, and results naturally vary between campaigns.

But they do help demonstrate why professional digital marketing deserves a place alongside traditional estate agency methods.

For a homeowner, the important question isn’t how many likes a video receives.

It’s whether that marketing is reaching suitable buyers, generating worthwhile enquiries and helping to arrange viewings.

A Photograph Shows a Property. A Video Can Make Someone Want to Live There.

For me, this is the biggest difference.

A photograph can show you a kitchen.

A video can help you imagine friends gathered around the island on a Saturday evening.

A photograph can show you a garden.

A video can communicate the atmosphere, the space and how it connects with the house.

And a photograph of an indoor swimming pool?

Well, it tells you there’s a swimming pool.

But a thoughtfully produced video can make you imagine swimming in it every morning.

Every property has a story.

My job is to work out what makes that particular home special and find the most effective way to communicate it.

It’s Not Enough Just to Make a Video

Now here’s something else worth mentioning.

Just because an estate agent produces a video doesn’t automatically mean they’re marketing your property effectively.

What happens to that video afterwards?

Is it being promoted through Instagram and Facebook?

Is the agent investing in targeted advertising?

Are they reaching people beyond their existing followers?

Are they using the video to create interest before and during the initial launch?

And, most importantly, are they measuring whether it’s producing genuine buyer enquiries?

I call the critical early launch period the Momentum Window™.

It’s when a property is new to the market, buyer attention is at its highest and the marketing has its greatest opportunity to create immediate interest.

Everything I recommend is designed to make that opportunity count.

That’s why I combine professional photography and video with evidence-based pricing, property portals, social media promotion and collaboration with other local eXp agents.

Being part of eXp means I can also work alongside other self-employed agents who may have access to buyers beyond my own contacts.

And because I personally handle my clients’ marketing, I can give each property the attention it deserves.

So, Is Your Estate Agent Doing Enough?

I’m not suggesting that every house without a video will struggle to sell.

And I’m certainly not suggesting that a video can rescue an unrealistic asking price.

But I do believe homeowners should expect a proper marketing strategy, not just a Rightmove listing and the occasional update.

If your property has been sitting on the market for weeks or months, with fewer viewings and no acceptable offers, perhaps it’s worth asking a few questions.

Who is actually seeing your home?

What is your agent doing to reach buyers who aren’t already searching for it?

Could the marketing be doing more to communicate what makes your property special?

And if nothing has changed since the property was launched, why should we expect buyer behaviour to change?

After over 18 years in property, I’ve learnt that selling a home successfully is about much more than choosing an asking price.

It’s about understanding buyers, presenting the property properly and creating the right opportunities for people to fall in love with it.

Your home deserves more than being just another listing.

Let’s Talk About Your Property

If you’re selling in Bromley, Beckenham, Croydon or South East London and you’re wondering whether your current marketing is doing everything it should, I’d be happy to offer a fresh perspective.

I’ll explain how I would present your home, where I would position it in the market and what I would do to help it reach the right buyers.

No hard sell. Just an experienced, evidence-based approach to achieving the best possible result.

James Hall
The Property Perfectionist™ | Powered by eXp UK
07855 828 736
james.hall@expuk.com

Book your free property valuation at propertyperfectionist.co.uk/free-valuation/

Clarity. Not optimism. Not guesswork. Just evidence.