Property portals like Zoopla and Rightmove have long been at the centre of British home-hunting practices, but a new study suggests that the younger generation is straying from this traditional approach.
Research by property communications agency Oracle, in partnership with YouGov, reveals that just 28% of 18-24 year-olds consider such portals their most trusted source for home-hunting, significantly lower compared to older age groups: 45% among 25-34 year-olds and 43% among 35-44 year-olds.
The findings indicate a broader trend among Generation Z, who are often sceptical of traditional advertising methods, preferring instead influencers, social proof, and personal recommendations.
The data shows that 16% of respondents in this age group are more likely to trust reviews and recommendations on sites such as Trustpilot, a number that decreases to 10% for ages 45-54 and 8% for those aged 55 and over.
Almost one in four (23%) of Generation Z would trust personal interactions with estate or letting agents more than online portals.
Caroline Coskry, chair of The Oracle Group, said: “Websites such as Rightmove and Zoopla have been central to British house-hunting habits for around two decades now, but that dominance could soon be disrupted.
“Our research shows Generation Z place far less faith in portals than the generations that came before them, opening the door for new forms of property marketing to win their trust with tactics based around authenticity and social proof.”
The shift in trust sources may indicate upcoming disruption in the property market, similar to changes observed in FMCG and fashion sectors, where platforms like TikTok Marketplace and Depop have found success by capitalising on Generation Z-friendly creator content and influencer-driven selling.
Coskry further added: “Understanding what sources of information people put their trust in is a vital part of how we support our property clients, and that’s exactly what we set out to discover in this research. We hope that by shining a light on this forward-looking trend, the industry can prepare itself for how to reach the next generation of buyers and renters.”
The study’s findings are backed up by case studies, such as 20-year-old Chloe Harris Hopkins who agreed with the results, who said: “I would agree that young people favour the opinion of influencers and their peers more.
“I do actually use Zoopla and other sites to get a rough guideline of how much properties in an area cost. However, it’s Instagram and TikTok that have taught me about shared ownership and help to buy schemes.”
