70 real estate statistics to watch for 2026 market trends
There’s
an
endless
supply
of
real
estate
statistics
out
there,
but
what
the
heck
do
you
actually
do
with
them?
The
old
saying
“knowledge
is
power”
couldn’t
be
more
true
in
real
estate.
Stats
are
the
fuel
that
drives
the
market
—
they
shape
buyer
behavior,
influence
seller
confidence
and
help
you
sound
like
the
pro
your
clients
expect
you
to
be.
Think
about
it:
would
you
trust
a
surgeon
who
couldn’t
explain
the
procedure?
Probably
not.
The
same
goes
for
agents
who
can’t
explain
the
market
they
work
in
every
day.
We’ve
dug
through
the
data
for
you
and
pulled
together
the
most
relevant,
up-to-date
numbers
from
credible
sources
like
Altos
Research,
the
National
Association
of
Realtors,
Zillow
and
the
U.S.
Census
Bureau.
You’ll
find
the
latest
stats
on
home
prices,
mortgage
rates,
inventory
and
more.
These
are
the
kind
of
insights
that
help
you
guide
clients
with
confidence,
back
up
your
advice
with
facts
and
have
smarter
conversations
about
what’s
really
happening
in
the
housing
market.
Why
are
real
estate
statistics
important
for
agents?
Before
we
give
you
the
real
estate
industry
statistics,
we
want
to
provide
a
little
more
food
for
thought
about
what
you
can
do
with
them.
As
mentioned,
knowledge
is
powerful,
but
there
are
other
ways
you
can
use
these
stats
to
boost
your
lead
generation
and
nurturing,
marketing
and
street
credibility.
While
you’re
reading
through
the
stats,
think
about
how
you
can
incorporate
them
into
these
ideas:
-
Gain
knowledge
and
expertise
in
a
specific
area
(and
how
it
compares
to
the
US
market
overall) -
Have
a
confident
answer
for
“How’s
the
market?” -
Compete
with
other
agents
by
highlighting
your
knowledge -
Understand
client
behavior
and
perceptions -
Share
statistics
with
clients
to
educate
and
stay
on
top
of
mind -
Post
on
social
media
and
email
to
engage
your
target
audience -
Add
stats
to
your
personal
website
to
build
authority
and
provide
value
General
statistics
These
general
statistics
will
give
you
an
overview
of
the
national
US
real
estate
market.
While
you
want
to
know
the
stats
specific
to
your
area,
it
is
important
to
know
how
your
location
stacks
up
against
the
rest
of
the
country.
This
proves
your
expertise
to
clients
and
allows
you
to
provide
them
with
knowledge
about
the
real
estate
market.
-
The
median
list
price
of
homes
in
the
US
is
$427,900;
the
median
price
of
new
listings
is
$390,970. -
The
average
days
homes
stay
on
the
market
is
119
days;
the
median
days
on
market
is
77
days. -
There
is
currently
an
inventory
of
830,445
properties. -
The
price
per
square
foot
is
$210,
decreased
from
$216
in
March
2025. -
41%
of
properties
have
seen
a
decrease
in
price;
2%
of
properties
have
seen
a
price
increase. -
10%
of
properties
have
been
relisted. -
The
market
action
index
is
34,
indicating
that
there
is
a
slight
seller’s
advantage.
list
price
of
homes
from
May
2021
to
November
2025
(Source:
Altos)
If
you
want
more
statistics
like
these
that
are
specific
to
your
location,
check
out
Altos–that’s
where
the
stats
above
are
from!
Sign
up
for
free
to
get
up-to-date
zip
code
and
county
numbers.
Is
there
a
better
way
to
make
yourself
the
go-to
agent
in
your
area?
Plus,
these
reports
are
weekly,
unlike
other
sites
that
typically
do
reports
once
a
month
or
once
a
year.
Sources:
Altos
Research;
Research
and
Statistics,
NAR
Homebuyer
statistics
Part
of
being
a
great
buyer’s
agent
is
getting
inside
the
mind
of
a
buyer.
You
can
do
just
that
by
reviewing
real
estate
statistics
that
quantify
the
behaviors,
decisions
and
trends
of
the
mass
buyer
population.
Also,
understanding
the
behaviors
of
different
demographics
will
let
you
get
into
the
psyche
of
the
buyer
clients
you
want
to
target
with
your
marketing
efforts.
of
homebuyers
(Source:
NAR)
-
The
largest
number
of
homebuyers
are
Younger
Boomers
aged
59
to
68
(26%).
This
is
followed
by
Gen
Xers
aged
44
to
58
years
old
(24%),
Older
Gen
Y/Millennials
aged
34
to
43
(17%),
Older
Boomers
aged
69
to
77
(16%)
and
Gen
Y/Millenials
aged
25
to
33
(12%). -
24%
of
buyers
are
first-time
buyers,
and
71%
of
those
first-time
homebuyers
are
aged
25
to
33. -
The
primary
reason
for
buyers
under
the
age
of
59
to
purchase
a
home
is
the
“desire
to
own
a
home.”
The
primary
reason
to
purchase
a
home
over
60
is
to
be
closer
to
family. -
19%
of
homebuyers
between
the
ages
of
44
to
58
own
a
multi-generational
home
that
houses
themselves
plus
adult
siblings
or
children,
parents
and/or
grandparents. -
Gen
Xers
purchased
the
largest
homes,
along
with
Younger
Millennials
at
a
median
of
2,000
square
feet. -
81%
of
homes
bought
were
three
bedrooms
or
more,
and
60%
had
two
full
bathrooms. -
The
most
important
environmentally
friendly
features
buyers
desired
are
heating
and
cooling
costs
(33%)
and
commuting
costs
and
energy-efficient
appliances
(both
31%). -
30%
of
buyers
compromised
on
the
price
of
the
home,
while
23%
of
buyers
compromised
on
the
condition
of
the
home. -
Sellers
typically
lived
in
their
homes
for
10
years
before
selling.
Younger
Millennials
stayed
in
their
homes
for
five
years,
compared
to
16
years
for
Older
Boomers. -
Buyers
spent
10
weeks
searching
for
a
home,
two
weeks
searching
before
contacting
an
agent
and
viewed
seven
homes
during
their
search. -
Homebuyers
found
photos
to
be
the
most
valuable
feature
found
on
a
listing
website
(83%). -
74%
of
buyers
financed
their
home
purchase,
and
19%
of
people
financed
80%
to
89%
of
the
home.
Sources:
Home
Buyers
and
Sellers
Generational
Trends
Report,
NAR;
Profiles
of
Home
Buyers
and
Sellers,
NAR
Home
Seller
statistics
Similar
to
knowing
buyer
clients,
if
you
choose
to
work
with
sellers,
you
need
to
know
what
makes
them
tick.
Your
ultimate
goal
is
to
get
their
house
sold,
but
learning
why
people
want
to
sell
will
give
you
a
leg
up
in
connecting
with
your
clients
as
well
as
how
to
get
their
home
sold.
of
home
sellers
(Source:
NAR)
-
91%
of
sellers
used
an
agent
to
sell
their
home. -
The
largest
number
of
homesellers,
31%,
are
Younger
Boomers
aged
59
to
68
years
old.
This
is
followed
by
Gen
Xers
aged
44
to
58
(22%),
Older
Boomers
aged
69
to
77
(22%),
Older
Gen
Y/Millenials
aged
34
to
43
(14%)
and
Younger
Gen
Y/Millenials
aged
25
to
33
and
Silent
Generation
aged
78
to
98
(both
5%). -
76%
of
sellers
are
repeat
sellers,
24%
are
first-time
sellers. -
Most
sellers
sold
a
larger
home
to
purchase
a
smaller
home,
with
a
difference
of
-200
square
feet. -
The
primary
reason
for
selling
a
home
was
to
move
closer
to
friends
or
family
(23%),
the
home
was
too
small
(12%)
or
the
home
being
too
large
(11%). -
26%
of
sellers
spent
21
years
or
more
in
their
home
before
selling. -
64%
of
people
did
not
reduce
their
asking
price;
21%
reduced
the
price
one
time. -
43%
of
sellers
were
not
urgently
selling
their
home
and
waited
for
the
right
offer,
42%
were
somewhat
urgent
and
had
to
sell
their
home
in
a
reasonable
time
frame
and
15%
needed
to
sell
their
home
as
quickly
as
possible.
Sources:
Home
Buyers
and
Sellers
Generational
Trends
Report,
NAR;
Profiles
of
Home
Buyers
and
Sellers,
NAR
Rental
market
statistics
I
worked
in
the
fast-paced
New
York
City
rental
market
for
years,
and
there
are
a
lot
of
clients
and
a
lot
of
money
to
be
made.
Plus,
rental
clients
move
quite
often
or
are
one
step
away
from
buying,
which
means
more
transactions
and
exposure
to
different
transactions.
These
rental
real
estate
statistics
will
help
you
understand
the
market
and
hone
your
expertise.
methods
for
signing
leases
2018
to
2025
(Source:
Zillow)
-
As
of
October
2025,
the
national
median
rent
price
is
$1,381. -
Quarter
four
of
2025
cites
a
rental
vacancy
rate
of
7.2%. -
Rent
prices
are
down
0.9%
compared
to
one
year
ago. -
243
thousand
multifamily
units
were
completed
in
the
first
half
of
2025
–
that’s
down
27%
from
the
second
half
of
2024. -
Rental
units
are
staying
on
the
market
for
a
median
of
33
days. -
35%
of
the
US
are
renters;
homeownership
rates
are
65%. -
The
median
age
of
renters
is
41
years
old,
and
65%
of
renters
are
aged
40
or
younger. -
Gen
Zers
have
the
highest
number
of
renters
(44%),
followed
by
Millennials
(32%),
Gen
Xers
(14%),
Baby
Boomers
(9%)
and
Silent
Generation
members
(1%). -
46%
of
renters
earn
less
than
$50,000
a
year,
31%
earn
between
$50,000
to
$100,000
and
22%
earn
more
than
$100,000. -
59%
of
renter
households
have
a
pet
of
some
kind;
40%
have
a
dog
and
30%
have
a
cat. -
The
highest
numbers
of
renters
live
in
the
South
(42%),
then
the
West
(25%),
Midwest
(21%)
and
Northeast
(12%). -
59%
of
renters
said
the
most
important
item
of
picking
a
rental
home
was
seeing
the
lease
terms,
rent
amount
and
fees.
Other
important
items
were
taking
a
private
tour
(55%),
meeting/speaking
with
the
property
manager
or
landlord
(47%)
and
seeing
reviews
of
the
property
manager
or
landlord
(37%). -
When
choosing
a
rental
property
location,
renters
found
their
commute
to
be
the
top
feature
(57%),
followed
by
a
walkable
neighborhood
(55%)
and
proximity
to
shopping,
services
and/or
leisure
activities
(53%). -
64%
of
renters
thought
about
buying
during
their
rental
search. -
47%
of
renters
would
prefer
to
sign
their
leases
electronically,
but
only
40%
actually
signed
electronic
leases.
Sources:
Zillow,
Doorloop,
Apartment
List
Housing
affordability
statistics
Housing
affordability
has
become
one
of
the
biggest
pressure
points
in
today’s
housing
market.
These
mortgage
loan
statistics
break
down
what
different
income
levels
can
realistically
afford
in
today’s
market
and
how
far
the
current
supply
goes
in
meeting
buyer
demand.
Agents
can
use
these
to
help
clients
understand
what’s
realistically
within
reach
and
where
there
are
growing
gaps
and
concerns
in
2026.
much
can
buyers
afford
(Source:
NAR)
-
Households
earning
$50,000
per
year
can
only
afford
8.7%
of
active
listings
which
is
down
from
9.4%
a
year
ago.
Those
earning
$75,000
a
year
can
afford
21.2%,
while
households
earning
$100,000
a
year
can
afford
37.1%
of
listings. -
Even
with
recent
inventory
increases,
middle-income
buyers
still
have
access
to
less
than
half
of
the
market
compared
with
2019. -
The
U.S.
needs
roughly
416,000
more
listings
priced
at
or
below
the
threshold
for
middle-income
buyers
to
reach
a
balanced
market. -
Households
earning
$200,000+
have
access
to
80
to
100%
of
active
listings
nationwide
which
highlights
the
growing
affordability
gap
for
lower
and
middle-income
buyers.
Sources:
Housing
Affordability
and
Supply,
NAR
Mortgage
loan
statistics
Mortgage
lending
trends
continue
to
shift.
Today’s
buyers
are
relying
on
a
wide
range
of
financing
strategies
to
make
their
home
purchases
possible.
From
all-cash
deals
hitting
new
highs
to
down
payments
climbing
to
levels
we
haven’t
seen
in
decades,
the
way
buyers
fund
their
homes
says
a
lot
about
the
state
of
the
market.
Here’s
a
look
at
the
mortgage
loan
statistics
and
what
they
mean
for
both
first-time
and
repeat
buyers.
downpayment
trends
(Source:
NAR)
-
26%
of
home
purchases
have
been
all-cash
over
the
last
year,
reaching
an
all-time
high.
Between
2003
and
2010,
fewer
than
one
in
10
buyers
paid
all
cash
on
a
home
sale. -
So
far
in
2025,
the
median
down
payment
among
all
buyers
was
10%
to
19%
for
first-time
buyers
and
23%
for
repeat
buyers. -
The
median
down
payment
for
first-time
homebuyers
is
the
highest
it’s
been
since
1989,
and
the
highest
for
repeat
buyers
since
2003. -
Personal
savings
are
the
most
common
source
for
down
payments
among
first-time
buyers
(59%),
while
26%
tapped
into
financial
assets
such
as
401Ks,
IRAs
or
stocks
and
22%
received
help
from
relatives
or
friends
through
a
gift
or
loan. -
54%
of
repeat
buyers
used
proceeds
from
the
sale
of
a
previous
home
to
finance
their
next
purchase.
Sources:
Profile
of
home
buyers
and
sellers,
NAR
Commercial
real
estate
statistics
Diving
into
commercial
real
estate
statistics
is
a
bear
because
the
commercial
market
is
divided
into
a
bunch
of
different
sectors.
Most
times,
commercial
agents
focus
on
one
or
two
sectors
as
their
niche
so
they
can
become
an
expert
working
with
a
specific
type
of
client.
I
added
several
statistics
by
sector
below
to
give
you
an
idea
of
how
each
market
is
doing.
month
absorption
rates
2025
(Source:
NAR)
-
In
the
office
sector,
vacancy
edged
down
to
14.0%
for
the
first
time
in
six
years
while
rent
growth
eased
to
0.7%
as
landlords
continue
to
rely
on
incentives
to
attract
and
retain
tenants. -
The
multifamily
sector
continues
to
balance
itself
with
net
absorption
at
just
over
506,000
units
as
construction
activity
has
slowed. -
In
the
retail
sector,
the
absorption
rate
has
fallen
to
–
4.3
million
square
feet
over
the
past
year
ending
in
September
and
rent
growth
easing
to
1.9%. -
The
industrial
sector
has
seen
a
continued
loss
of
momentum
as
new
construction
outpaced
tenant
demand.
Vacancy
inched
higher
and
rent
growth
eased,
reflecting
a
market
still
digesting
several
years
of
rapid
expansion. -
At
62.7%
occupancy,
the
hotel/hospitality
sector
remains
below
pre-pandemic
levels
by
3%. -
The
delinquency
rate
of
CRE
loans
at
the
end
of
Q2
2025
was
1.57%
totalling
3.03
trillion
in
lending
in
August
of
2025.
Sources:
Commercial
Real
Estate
Market
Insights
Report,
NAR
Real
estate
agent
statistics
While
these
real
estate
statistics
encompass
information
about
buyers
and
sellers,
they
center
on
how
the
agent
is
directly
impacted.
These
stats
show
the
effect
that
agents
have
on
the
real
estate
buying
and
selling
process
and
the
importance
that
they
play
at
all
stages
of
a
transaction.
Take
these
into
account
when
strategizing
your
lead
generation
and
how
you
work
with
clients.
provided
by
real
estate
agents
(Source:
NAR)
-
88%
of
homebuyers
found
their
home
with
a
real
estate
agent
or
broker. -
50%
of
home
buyers
sought
help
with
finding
the
right
home
to
purchase
followed
by
negotiating
the
terms
of
the
sale
(13%),
price
negotiations
(12%)
and
help
with
paperwork
(7%). -
The
top
benefits
agents
provided
to
homebuyers
was
helping
understand
the
process
(52%),
pointing
out
unnoticed
features/faults
with
property
(54%)
and
negotiating
better
sales
contract
terms
(45%)
and
providing
a
better
list
of
service
providers
(44%). -
40%
of
buyers
and
38%
of
sellers
found
their
agent
through
a
friend,
neighbor
or
relative. -
Referrals
by
friends,
neighbors
or
relatives
were
higher
among
Younger
Millennial
buyers
(54%)
and
Older
Millennial
Buyers
(42%)
compared
to
older
generations. -
Older
buyers
were
more
likely
to
work
with
an
agent
they
had
previously
used
to
buy
or
sell
a
home. -
The
most
important
factors
when
choosing
a
buyer’s
agent
are
the
agent’s
experience
(23%),
honesty
and
trustworthiness
(19%)
and
the
agent’s
reputation
(15%). -
The
most
important
factors
for
seller’s
agents
were
the
reputation
of
the
agent
(35%),
honesty
and
trustworthiness
(21%)
and
the
agent
being
a
friend
or
family
member
(16%). -
71%
of
buyers
thought
personal
calls
to
inform
them
of
activities
was
the
most
important
agent
communication
strategy;
71%
found
text
messages
with
property
info
and
communication
were
most
important. -
81%
of
sellers
contacted
only
one
agent
to
assist
with
the
sale
of
their
home. -
50%
of
sellers
used
the
same
agent
to
sell
their
home
and
purchase
a
new
one. -
Sellers
were
most
interested
(22%)
in
an
agent
who
could
help
the
sellers
market
the
home
to
potential
buyers
(22%).
They
also
wanted
an
agent
who
could
help
price
their
home
competitively
(20%)
and
help
within
a
specific
timeframe
(18%). -
75%
of
seller’s
agents
were
paid
by
the
seller;
52%
of
buyer’s
agents
were
paid
by
the
seller.
Sources:
Home
Buyers
and
Sellers
Generational
Trends
Report,
NAR;
Profiles
of
Home
Buyers
and
Sellers,
NAR
The
full
picture:
Real
estate
statistics
These
real
estate
industry
statistics
give
you
a
powerful
advantage
over
agents
who
are
just
here
for
a
quick
buck.
Incorporating
these
into
your
conversations
will
instill
confidence
in
yourself
but
will
also
give
your
clients
confidence
in
you
and
your
abilities
to
help
them
buy,
sell
or
rent
a
property.
So,
save
this
article,
memorize
these
stats
and
share
them
wherever
you
can.
They’re
tools
you
can
use
every
single
day.
