Real’s Monthly Agent Survey: Optimism Hits 11-Month High as Agents Anticipate a 2026 Recovery
Agent sentiment rises sharply; improving balance signals a more stable market heading into the new year
“While we typically see a seasonal uptick in optimism at year-end, the current enthusiasm feels different,” said Tamir Poleg, Chairman and CEO of Real. “Our agents are seeing the market move toward a healthier balance. Affordability is still the biggest hurdle, but we’re seeing that pressure start to ease, which is exactly what needs to happen for a broader recovery to take shape in 2026.”
Key Survey Findings: Market Trends and Insights
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Agent Optimism Hits 11-Month High: Real’s Agent Optimism Index, which tracks agents’ 12-month forward outlook, rose to 70.8 in December from 66.6 in November - marking the highest reading since January 2025. Seventy percent (
70% ) of agents reported feeling more optimistic than the prior month, including19% who described themselves as significantly more optimistic. The index remains well above the 50-point threshold that signals net positive sentiment. -
Transaction Activity Shows Signs of Stabilization: Real’s Transaction Growth Index, which tracks agent-reported year-over-year changes in local home sales activity, increased to 47.9 in December from 45.8 in November. While
37% of agents reported fewer transactions compared to December 2024,29% saw an increase, and34% reported stable activity.
Note: This index reflects agents' perceptions of local market trends and is not indicative of Real's company-specific transaction volume. Index scores are weighted on a 0-100 point scale, with values above 50 indicating year-over-year growth and below 50 signaling a decline.
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Market Shifting Toward Balance: Forty-nine percent (
49% ) of agents characterized their local market as favoring buyers, down from54% in November. Seventeen percent (17% ) said sellers hold the advantage, while34% reported balanced conditions - a continuation of the rebalancing trend seen in recent months. -
Affordability Pressures Begin to Ease: Affordability remained the most frequently cited challenge for buyers, mentioned by
50% of agents — down modestly from55% in November. Economic uncertainty held steady as the second most cited concern (26% ), while18% of agents pointed to inventory constraints as the primary barrier to buyers.
A full summary of these results can be found on Real’s investor relations website at https://investors.onereal.com/.
About the Survey
The Real Brokerage December 2025 Agent Survey included responses from 567 real estate agents across
About Real
Real (NASDAQ: REAX) is a real estate experience company working to make life’s most complex transaction simple. The fast-growing company combines essential real estate, mortgage and closing services with powerful technology to deliver a single seamless end-to-end consumer experience, guided by trusted agents. With a presence in all 50 states throughout the
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investors@therealbrokerage.com
908.280.2515
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Source: The Real Brokerage Inc.