Zoopla has tapped into the Celebrity Traitors craze to reveal that Britain is a nation of “Property Traitors”, with 44% of homeowners having taken steps towards a possible move without telling the other adults they live with.
Secret property activity uncovered
More than a quarter (27%) have secretly browsed property listings, while 21% have checked the value of their current home online. Some covert movers are going further: one in 10 secret property browsers has viewed a home without telling others in their household, and 2% have made an offer in secret.
Among people considering buying within the next one to three years, 72% have already taken at least one property-related action in secret. Some 61% have browsed listings, 36% have researched another area or town, and 30% have privately calculated how much they could afford or borrow.
Hiding in plain sight
Nearly a quarter (23%) admit to having a secret “property crush” on a particular home, while 19% have saved or shortlisted a property. Among those considering moving within the next 12 months, 43% have secretly browsed listings, 27% have researched another location, and 24% have saved or shortlisted a property.
Many of Britain’s “Property Traitors” are carrying out their searches close to home. More than a third (36%) of secret browsers have searched while watching television with the people they are keeping it from. Others have browsed at work or on their commute, and one in 10 waited until their partner was asleep.
London leads the Property Traitors
London recorded the highest proportion of covert property activity, with almost two-thirds (62%) of Londoners surveyed having taken a property-related action without telling the other adults they live with. The West Midlands followed at 54%, while the North West recorded 53%. Scotland had the lowest proportion, at 31%.
However, the North West topped the table specifically for secret property browsing, with 37% admitting privately searching listings, compared with 34% of Londoners.
Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, said: “Anyone thinking about buying a home today has more to weigh up, with higher mortgage rates limiting buying power but more homes for sale, giving buyers greater choice and more room to negotiate.
“Doing your homework early is important. That means understanding what you can afford, looking at how far your budget will stretch in different areas and, for existing homeowners, knowing what your current home is worth and how much equity you have to put towards your next purchase.”
He added: “House prices and market conditions vary widely across the country, and even between neighbouring areas, so buyers shouldn’t rely on the national picture when working out their next move.”
Opinium conducted the research for Zoopla among 2,000 UK adults living with another adult between 17 and 22 September 2026.
