Agents: Here’s your to-do list for 2026

By now, it’s more than likely that your New Year’s resolutions are long broken. But while your list of resolutions might have been discarded, it’s likely your to-do list is growing by the minute. With the housing sector facing the biggest changes to rentals in decades, alongside a further likely acceleration in buying and selling, being prepared will be essential.

At The ValPal Network there are many ways that we can help. To create a to-do list that you can actually complete in 2026, here’s a few things we suggest you focus on.

Offer a safe haven as Renters’ Rights Act deadline looms

For the landlords on your books, 2026 marks the most significant changes to the rental sector in more than 30 years. From May 1, several new processes will come into play. These include the move to periodic tenancies, the abolition of section 21 no-fault evictions, and the limiting of rent reviews to once a year in line with market prices.

Offering advice, support and additional services to landlords to help manage this transition will be welcomed and could also be a way to further build relationships and, ultimately, revenue.

Some landlords will be reassessing opportunities, expanding or contracting their portfolios. Capturing landlord leads through tools such as ValPal and ValPal Pro will help boost your contact with landlords.

Be ready for an upturn in the housing market

Despite a lull in the buying and selling market in the last quarter of 2025 as nervousness around the Autumn Budget escalated, experts expect a lively start to 2026 and further buying activity as interest and mortgage rates continue to fall.

Speed to lead will be critical as agents scramble to win instructions. This is where ValPal Pro comes into its own.

When a homeowner completes an online valuation, ValPal Pro’s AI virtual assistant responds instantly via automated phone calls, text messages and emails. It engages the lead, gathers key information, qualifies motivation and timescales, and can provisionally book valuation appointments directly into the agent’s diary.

Not every seller is ready to move right away. ValPal Pro addresses this by placing longer-term prospects into a structured 12-month AI-led nurture programme, maintaining regular, personalised contact to maximise conversion rather than allowing opportunities to go cold.

This automated solution gives agency teams additional valuable time to focus on advising clients, building relationships and delivering the highest quality service.

Boost your marketing efforts

Boosting your visibility can be a challenge. Word of mouth is a powerful sales driver so let your reputation precede you when clients are looking for recommendations for which agency to choose. However, a powerful marketing presence is also important. At The ValPal Network we’re here to help boost your presence with a range of digital marketing and paid advertising optimisation tools to help to provide the extra visibility you need to stand out from the competition. We can also help with traditional media, with a range of marketing design services from leaflets to posters and specialist written content.

Consider automation to enable a more personal service

The move to a more personalised approach in estate agency is an accelerating trend. Yet, it can be tough when you have so many other things to do. Automation helps you offer a more personalised service that your buyers, sellers and landlords will love. It frees you from mundane, repetitive tasks and allows agency teams to focus on one-to-one relationships instead.

Want to know more about how to free up precious time to offer a more personalised service? At The ValPal Network, we help estate agents automate lead generation so that you can focus on your clients. Get in touch at team@valpal.co.uk to learn more.