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More Buy-to-Let Flats Are Coming to Market. How Do You Make Yours Stand Out?
Saturday 10th October 2026
As more landlords exit the buy-to-let market, estate agents and sellers face a new challenge: how do you make one flat stand out when buyers have dozens of similar options?
Flats are flooding the market. Many are similar. Many are empty. Buyers have more choice. So how do you make one stand out from the rest?
Across Bromley, Bexley, Greenwich and Sevenoaks and most areas in the South East, estate agents are seeing a trend that has been building in recent years.
More landlords are choosing to sell their buy-to-let properties.
Rising mortgage costs, increasing legislation, compliance requirements and changes to landlord taxation have caused many investors to reassess whether property still delivers the returns it once did.
Data from Zoopla shows a steady flow of landlord sales, with over 1 in 10 homes listed for sale having previously been rented.
For estate agents, this creates both an opportunity and a challenge.
The opportunity is more instructions.
The challenge is that many of these properties look almost identical and there are many on the market and often sit on the market for a long period of time as the buyer has so much choice.
The Buy-to-Let Flat Problem
Think about the average buy-to-let flat.
One or two bedrooms.
Neutral décor.
Open-plan kitchen/living space.
Allocated parking.
Located within a modern development.
Now imagine ten of them coming to market in the same area at roughly the same time.
For buyers searching online, they quickly become difficult to distinguish from one another.
The result?
Properties become comparable commodities.
And when buyers struggle to see a difference, they often make decisions based on price alone.
Estate Agents Are Fighting For Attention
The battle is no longer simply getting a property online.
The battle is getting buyers to stop scrolling.
A buyer might spend only a few seconds looking at a listing before deciding whether to book a viewing or move on to the next property.
If your client's flat looks like every other flat available in Bromley, Bexley, Greenwich or Sevenoaks, why would a buyer choose it?
That's the question every estate agent should be asking.
Why Empty Flats Struggle
Many former rental properties are marketed vacant.
The tenants have left.
The furniture has gone.
The property is clean and ready for sale.
Yet something is missing.
Character.
Warmth.
Lifestyle.
Buyers struggle to understand how furniture will fit. They struggle to visualise living there. Most importantly, they fail to build an emotional connection.
And property decisions are often more emotional than many people realise.
Buyers Don't Just Buy Property. They Buy A Lifestyle.
Solution
When buyers walk into a furnished staged property, they don't see empty rooms they see possibilities. Farrow Home Staging stage rooms that look lived in with our variety of furniture and accessories. Rooms become:
A stylish living room where they can entertain friends.
A dining area for family meals.
A comfortable bedroom retreat.
A workspace for hybrid working.
Home staging transforms a property from a vacant space into a desirable lifestyle.
And that is exactly what helps buyers remember it.
The Alternative Is Usually A Price Reduction
We've all seen it.
A property launches.
Interest is slower than expected.
A few weeks pass.
Then comes the price reduction.
But before reducing the asking price, it's worth asking:
Has the property been given every opportunity to compete effectively against similar listings?
Because presentation is often easier and cheaper to improve than the property's value.
A Recent Example
Recently, we staged a vacant two-bedroom property in Kent.
The flat was previously let, it was attractive and well presented, but like many empty homes, it lacked personality and impact.
By introducing stylish furniture, artwork, accessories and soft furnishings, we created a home buyers could immediately connect with. It was on the market for months empty, once it was staged and relaunched it sold on the first viewing
The transformation wasn't about disguising flaws.
It was about helping buyers see the potential of the space.
Instead of another empty property photo, the listing showcased a lifestyle.
And that's what made it memorable.
A Competitive Advantage For Estate Agents
Home staging isn't simply furniture rental.
It's a marketing tool.
And it's a way to help properties stand out in increasingly crowded markets.
Final Thoughts
As more landlords exit the buy-to-let market, competition among one and two-bedroom flats is increasing.
The reality is simple.
If ten flats look the same, buyers compare price.
If one flat stands out, buyers remember it.
And remembered properties are far more likely to generate viewings, stronger interest and ultimately achieve a successful sale.
Before reducing the price, consider improving the presentation.
It could be the difference between being one of many and being the one buyers choose.
Reach out to Farrow Home Staging. on the contact form or email contact@farrowhomestaging.co.uk.
Using the visuals on Zoopla or Rightmove we can give you a FREE gestimate quotation for you to consider home staging.