We analysed six months of public Instagram activity from 12 estate agents operating in Walthamstow to see which accounts attract the strongest response.
The result was clear.
The Stow Brothers led the field by a wide margin, averaging 157 likes and 35 comments per post. Estates East ranked second for average likes, while Kings Group and Douglas Allen also stood out for reach, activity and conversation.
The findings also suggest that smaller, locally focused accounts can outperform much larger competitors.
The wider lesson is that follower numbers and posting volume do not guarantee engagement. The strongest accounts are the ones whose content consistently gives people a reason to stop, react and respond.
The headline results
Across the period from 12 January to 13 July 2026, The Stow Brothers recorded:
- 28,991 followers
- 208 posts
- 157.3 average likes per post
- 35.2 average comments per post
- 37,042 visible interactions
No other account combined audience size and response at a comparable level.
Estates East ranked second for average likes, with 24.2 per post across 353 posts, making it both the most active account in the study and one of the strongest performers.
Kings Group generated 3,485 comments in total and averaged 10.9 comments per post, second only to The Stow Brothers for conversation.
Douglas Allen followed with 10.6 average likes per post, while Ryan Elsam and Settle both posted more than ten times per week but recorded more modest engagement per post.
Top five by average likes per post
Estate agent | Average likes per post |
The Stow Brothers | 157.3 |
Estates East | 24.2 |
Kings Group | 12.1 |
Douglas Allen | 10.6 |
Ryan Elsam (Nested) | 7.3 |
The Stow Brothers averaged more than four times as many likes per post as the next-best account.
That lead is particularly significant because it is supported by comments, total interactions and audience size rather than one isolated measure.
Followers show potential reach, not guaranteed attention
Follower count shows potential reach, not guaranteed attention.
A large audience may include inactive, irrelevant or inauthentic accounts, while a smaller following can still generate stronger engagement if the content is more relevant. This analysis did not audit follower quality, so no conclusions should be drawn about whether any agency’s audience was artificially inflated.
What the data can show is whether follower numbers are matched by visible response.
For The Stow Brothers, they are: the account had the largest following and also led for average likes, comments and total interactions.
Elsewhere, follower count was a less reliable guide. Foxtons had 17,874 followers but averaged 3.1 visible likes per post.
That does not prove those accounts are ineffective. Hidden likes, broader audiences and private activity such as direct messages or enquiries may all affect the picture. It simply shows why follower totals should not be judged on their own.
Smaller agencies can still perform strongly
The data shows that a large following is not essential for strong Instagram performance.
Several smaller agencies achieved higher average engagement than larger competitors, despite posting less frequently and reaching a more modest audience.
For independent and local firms, this is an important finding. A focused, relevant following can be more valuable than a much larger audience that rarely responds.
It suggests that content quality, local relevance and audience fit matter more than follower numbers alone.
Posting more does not guarantee better performance
The busiest accounts were not always the most engaging.
Some agencies posted more than ten times a week but still achieved relatively modest likes per post, while others published less frequently and generated a much stronger response.
This suggests that consistency matters, but volume alone is not enough. Posting more often creates additional opportunities to be seen, but the content still needs to feel relevant, useful or distinctive.
A smaller number of strong posts may have more impact than a high volume of routine content.
Local relevance appears to matter
The strongest-performing accounts generally have a recognisable local identity.
That makes sense. Estate agency is highly location-specific.
People considering a move in Walthamstow are more likely to respond to content about E17 streets, schools, local businesses, architecture, market conditions and community life than to generic corporate property content.
Listings will always be important, but a feed made up entirely of properties can become repetitive.
Content that helps people understand the area, recognise local places or feel connected to the community may be more memorable than a succession of sales instructions.
The data cannot explain precisely why each post succeeded, but it suggests that clear local relevance is an advantage.
What estate agents can learn
The results point to four practical lessons.
Follower count should be treated as context rather than the final measure of success.
Posting frequency matters less than the quality and relevance of what is being published.
Smaller agencies can compete effectively when they build a focused local audience.
Instagram also works best as part of a broader marketing system rather than as an isolated channel.
Social content can create recognition and interest, but it should also support search visibility, website visits, enquiries and measurable business outcomes.
For agencies reviewing how these channels work together, Sumobaby provides digital growth and marketing support across SEO, paid search, content and analytics.
How the ranking was calculated
The accounts were ranked primarily by average visible likes per post.
This provides a straightforward indication of how strongly each readable post performed.
Follower-based engagement percentages can be useful, but they may exaggerate the position of very small accounts. Ten likes from 100 followers produces a high percentage, but the post still generated only ten likes.
Average likes per post therefore gives a clearer comparison of actual visible response.
Followers, comments, total interactions and posting frequency were then used to add context.
No single metric provides a complete picture, so the figures should be read together.
Methodology and limitations
The data was gathered using a third-party social media data collection tool around 13 July 2026.
It covered public Instagram posts published between 12 January and 13 July 2026, a period of 26 weeks.
The study considered:
- Followers
- Number of posts
- Total visible likes
- Total comments
- Average visible likes per post
- Average comments per post
- Total visible interactions
- Posts per week
Likes were counted only where Instagram displayed them publicly. Where some posts had hidden likes, those posts were excluded from the average-likes calculation rather than assigned an estimated value.
This means that total likes divided by total posts will not always reproduce the published average.
Comments remained publicly countable and were included where available.
The analysis does not include private measures such as direct messages, saves, shares, profile visits, website clicks, valuation enquiries or completed instructions.
These may be commercially important, but they are not publicly available across competing accounts.
The verdict
The Stow Brothers were the clear Instagram leader among the Walthamstow estate agents included in this study.
Their account combined the largest following with the highest average likes, comments and visible interactions.
Estates East stood out for combining very high posting activity with strong engagement, while Kings Group generated an exceptional level of conversation through comments.
The overall conclusion is simple.
Audience size and posting frequency can create opportunities, but they do not create engagement on their own.
The strongest accounts are the ones whose content consistently gives people a reason to pay attention.
The complete dataset used for this analysis is available in the supporting spreadsheet.