Homebuyers are gaining power in the housing market, say 82% of real estate agents

"Nationally, a majority (55%) of agents say buyer urgency is lower than it was 12 months ago. The pullback is most pronounced in the Southwest, where no agents reported seeing buyer urgency pick up, and 65% reported seeing lower urgency. This slowdown is underlined by a continued downturn of buyer demand, with 52% of U.S. agents reporting lower homebuyer demand relative to 12 months ago."

"Moreover, the overwhelming majority of agents across all regions (82%) agree that the leverage continues to shift toward homebuyers in their local housing markets. As buyer urgency fades, seller urgency is rising. Nationally, 45% of agents say seller urgency is higher than it was 12 months ago, led by the West (51%), Southwest (48%), and Southeast (46%). In these regions, fewer sellers appear willing to wait for conditions to improve."

204 agents across all U.S. regions participated in the Q4 2025 Zoodealio-ResiClub survey; 51% have been agents for 15 years or longer. Fifty-five percent of agents report buyer urgency is lower than 12 months ago, with the Southwest showing the steepest pullback and no agents reporting increased urgency there. Fifty-two percent of agents report lower homebuyer demand year-over-year, and 54% say sellers now outnumber buyers nationally, with 64% in the Southeast noting that trend. Eighty-two percent of agents say leverage continues to shift toward homebuyers locally. Meanwhile, 45% report higher seller urgency than a year ago, led by the West, Southwest, and Southeast.

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