Local SEO for Estate Agents

Vendors choose an agent from a short list, often starting with a search such as “estate agents Truro”. Local SEO puts you on it. It also carries rules: your listings and fees pages are regulated. This page covers local SEO for estate and letting agents that stays inside them. It is not legal advice; check the current guidance, linked below.

Material Information on Listings

National Trading Standards published Part A of its material information guidance in July 2022: price, council tax band and tenure. In November 2023 it published Parts B and C. Part B covers all properties, including property type and utilities. Part C applies where relevant, including flood risk, listed status and mining. We build listing templates so this information has a place on every page.

Fees Include VAT

The ASA’s advice on property fees and VAT says quoted fees must include VAT (CAP 3.18). In one ruling it required an agent’s 0.9% fee to be shown as 1.08%. Check every fee on your site, including in Google Business Profile descriptions.

Lettings: Publish Your Fees

Under section 83 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, letting agents must publish their fees list on their website, plus statements on client money protection and their redress scheme. We give them a dedicated page and link it from the footer.

The Local SEO Work

• A complete Google Business Profile with the right categories and real photos. See our Google Business Profile guide.
• A page for each town or village, with useful local detail.
• Genuine reviews from vendors and landlords.
• Consistent name, address and phone number everywhere.

Read more on local SEO services.

How Local Search Works for an Agent

Google shows a map with a short list of businesses above the normal results for local searches. Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and popularity. You cannot change your distance, but you can work on the other two with a complete profile, area pages and genuine reviews. Searches such as “estate agents Truro” and “letting agents Falmouth” are won this way.

Pages Every Agent Site Needs

• A listing template with a set place for price, council tax band, tenure and the other material information.
• A fees page with VAT-inclusive figures and, for lettings, the published fees list.
• A page for each area you cover, so a search for a town finds you.
• A valuation request page that is one tap away on a phone.

Reviews and Testimonials: the Rules

Fake reviews are now banned. The ban came into force on 6 April 2025 (commencement order). It covers submitting or commissioning fake reviews, and hiding the fact that a review was incentivised (Schedule 20 of the Act). The CMA can fine up to 10% of global turnover, according to its announcement of the new regime.

The advertising rules point the same way. Under the CAP Code you must hold evidence that a testimonial is genuine, and you must make clear when reviews were incentivised. Google’s own policy says you must not offer incentives for reviews, but review links and QR codes are allowed (Google Business Profile Help).

What to Do Next

Check your listings and fees pages against the above, then build the profile, area pages and reviews. See all industries.