Mortgage brokers continue to play a central role in buying a home, with two-fifths of first-time buyers admitting to WhatsApp their broker at least weekly.
And for the second consecutive quarter, two-thirds (63%) of all homeowners say they couldn’t have gone through the homebuying or mortgage process without an agent.
This is evident from Santander’s latest quarterly ‘Broker Perception Barometer’ survey, as the lender reports that 89% of all property purchases so far this year were made through an agent, an increase of 3% since 2024.
The lender’s latest Barometer, a quarterly survey of 500 mortgage holders to gauge consumer attitudes and sentiments towards estate agents, shows that homeowners are still reliant on an estate agent for their mortgage needs, with more than four-fifths (83%) saying they would use an estate agent again if they bought a new property or changed mortgage providers.
Santander’s previous Broker Perception Barometer from last December highlighted the power of human touch in a tech-enabled world, something demonstrated again this quarter, with one in ten (11%) homeowners seeking empathy from their agent (rising to 14% for first-time buyers).
The current research also shows that there are differences in the way younger borrowers interact with brokers, with a clear preference for pace: 75% of young people aged 18 to 34 consider their broker to be “responsive”, compared to 90% of those aged 35 and over.
This age group is also most likely to have found their agent through social media (13%) or an AI tool (8%) and is most likely to communicate with their agent at least once a week via WhatsApp (42%), compared to half (50%) of their older peers who say they have never used it for the same purpose.
In today’s market shaped by increasing economic security, consumers see real estate agents playing a critical role in supporting buyers as they confidently move forward with purchasing a home (85%). This is especially true for 83% of those who just bought their first home in the past year, and who say their agent made them feel more secure about the process.
In an age of high living costs, affordability – something an overwhelming 95% of first-time buyers say their agent helped them fully understand – remains one of the top concerns for borrowers.
When asked to imagine purchasing their home again in 2026, cost of living pressures (25%), budgeting for upfront costs (26%) and rising interest rates (30%) were the three things homeowners would be most concerned about. First buyers said they would be especially concerned (21%) about paying too much for real estate when prices are so volatile.
Three quarters (73%) of those who have purchased a product, remortgaged or transferred a product in the past year have saved money as a direct result of working with a broker. The average first-time buyer saved £123 per month on their monthly payments, just below the overall average saving of £127.
Commenting on the latest findings, Graham Sellar, head of intermediary channels at Santander UK, said: “At a time of global economic uncertainty, borrowers are looking more than ever for guidance and a sense of security that they are getting the best possible outcome for their mortgage needs. Brokers play a hugely crucial role in this – not only by securing the best deals and saving homeowners money – but also by providing reassurance and emotional support.”