Many economists expect the housing market to improve in 2026, though not enough to constitute a full rebound, but a new survey indicates that a growing number of real estate professionals are feeling more confident about what’s ahead. According to The Real Brokerage’s latest agent survey, conducted through January 9, agent optimism rose sharply at the end of 2025. Affordability remains the biggest obstacle, yet there are early signs that pressure is beginning to ease. That shift is essential for a broader recovery to take shape in 2026.
The survey’s index, which gauges how hopeful agents feel about the next 12 months, found that most respondents felt more optimistic in December than the month prior, with almost 1 in 5 reporting they were “significantly more optimistic.” Throughout 2025, the market gradually tilted in buyers’ favor, and by year’s end, some economists suggested that this buyer-friendly environment could persist “for the foreseeable future.”
However, the share of agents who say they are working in a buyers’ market has begun to decline. In November, 54% of the survey respondents described their local market as favoring buyers; by December, that number had slipped to below half. Just over one in three agents now view their market as balanced. Even with rising optimism, economic uncertainty and limited housing supply, both closely tied to ongoing affordability challenges, remain significant concerns.