Pent-Up Demand Poised to Boost Sales
Market activity is expected to increase this spring, driven by delayed demand, though affordability remains a key hurdle.
WASHINGTON – In the February 2026 Monthly Agent Survey, The Real Brokerage found 73% of agents anticipate a busier spring than last year, including 36% who expect conditions to be "significantly stronger," driven in part by pent-up demand from buyers who delayed purchases.
Additionally, the Agent Optimism Index came in at 70.3, signaling a positive 12-month outlook despite agents reporting fewer deals than a year earlier.
Tamir Poleg, chairman and CEO of Real, said, "Our February survey shows a decoupling between current market challenges and forward expectations. While the broader macroeconomic uncertainty persists, our agents are not in a 'wait-and-see' mode. They are proactively leaning into AI to gain a competitive edge, while signaling confidence in a strong 2026 spring selling season."
About 45% of respondents indicated favorable local markets for buyers in February, up from 40% of agents in January. Thirty-four percent reported balanced conditions for February, while 21% said sellers held the upper hand.
Affordability, however, was cited by 41% of agents as a major challenge. Seventy-six percent of agents said customers delayed home buying or selling decisions due to job-security or general economic concerns and 30% said those delays occurred frequently.
Source: MPA News (03/13/26) Once, Liezel
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