deverellsmith publishes 2026 Real Estate Salary Guide & Trends Report as UK property market enters period of recalibration 

Salary alone is no longer enough - 41% of professionals cite higher salary as their top priority, but work-life balance, flexibility and culture are closing the gap fast. 

Nearly half haven't had a pay rise in over a year - 44% of respondents had not received a rise in over a year, or ever, with most increases landing at just 0 to 5%

The UK real estate workforce is in a holding pattern - Workforce growth hit -0.40%, with hiring more deliberate and candidate movement more measured across every division. 

The office vs work from home - Three days in the office is now the clear preference, yet 84% would sacrifice some salary for the right benefits package. 

Regulation is reshaping hiring across the board - From the Renters' Rights Bill to the Building Safety Act, legislative change is now one of the most significant forces driving hiring decisions across the sector. 

In Investment and Development, hiring has been largely replacement-led, with candidates increasingly prioritising job security, funding confidence and long-term opportunity over short-term pay. 

In Construction, limited salary inflation persists outside critical technical roles, with professionals favouring stability following prolonged project delays. The report notes that salary increases in construction have largely come through internal promotion rather than lateral moves, as cash flow constraints, particularly among residential contractors, continue to suppress salary growth. 

Sales and Lettings continue to undergo structural change with the introduction of the self-employed model and as commission models evolve in response to regulation and lower transaction volumes. 

Professionals in Marketing, Finance and Office Support functions face growing cross-sector competition, with many prepared to move industries in search of flexibility and progression. 

While 41% of respondents cite higher salary as their top priority, this is closely followed by work-life balance, flexibility, culture and career development. 

Earning potential ranks as the number one driver when professionals consider moving to a new employer, ahead of team culture and leadership and business stability. Meanwhile, bonus potential tops the list of retention drivers, followed by flexible working options and equity or profit-share schemes.

A significant proportion indicated they are not actively seeking to move, but would be open to the right opportunity, creating a deceptively stable market in which movement can accelerate quickly once conditions change. 

This is borne out in pay review data: 44% of survey respondents had not received a pay rise in over a year, or had never received one, with the majority of those who had received a rise seeing increases of just 0 to 5%. 

On bonus structure, 60% of respondents favour a combination model spanning personal, team and company performance, suggesting that purely individual or purely company-wide schemes are misaligned with workforce expectations. 

On flexible working, 40% of respondents said three days in the office is their preferred pattern, and only 4% want to work fully remotely. Critically, 84% indicated they would consider sacrificing some salary for the right benefits package, signalling the real monetary value professionals place on flexibility and total reward.