Real Estate is Growing, In the Wrong Direction
100k more agents chasing 30% fewer real estate sellers since pre-pandemic.
The real estate industry continues to evolve, but for real estate sellers, it seems to not be for the better. The latest NAHB Housing Market Index, released last week, confirms what every agent already feels in their gut: sellers are harder to find than ever. Builder confidence is shaky, affordability is stretched thin, and inventory remains well below pre-pandemic norms.
Take a look at the map above. Compared to 2017–2019, in dark red counties, new listings STILL are down 30% or more. That’s not a seasonal dip—that’s a structural shift. Pink areas aren’t much better, still showing double-digit declines. Only a handful of markets (the rare blue patches) are seeing more homes listed than before the pandemic.
Compounding this issue is that there are MORE agents now than at that time. In 2019 there were 1.39M Realtors (per NAR Data). Today there are 1.5M agents.
This surplus of agents and shortage of inventorys makes every listing a fight. Agents are competing harder, spending more on marketing, and chasing the same few sellers. The result? Wasted dollars, burned time, and a lot of missed opportunities.
Real Estate Sellers: At This Rate or That Rate
Many Ive talked with over that run real estate companies, teams and tech companies believe that getting the interest rate under 6% will have a magic “unlocking” of the doors of sellers. I’m not convinced that it’s magic – but it wont hurt.
New loan interest rates have been falling on anticipation of a rate cut since July. And last week, we got the first federal rate reduction in years. today’s avg was a 6.35% – lower than any time in the past 12 months – and the fed signaled that there will be 3 more cuts coming. With each cut at an anticipated .25, we may be under the magic number of 6 by years end. Perhaps.
The Hidden Sellers in Your Own Database
Here’s the catch: while new listings are scarce, life events haven’t slowed down. People are still getting married, divorced, downsizing, relocating, and inheriting homes. The difference is that these sellers aren’t raising their hands publicly with a fresh listing—they’re quietly slipping through the cracks.
That’s where Revaluate changes the game. Our predictive analytics score every contact in your database and identify who is most likely to move in the next 6–12 months. Instead of burning money on broad marketing in a market with 30% fewer listings, you can zero in on the 3–5% of your database most likely to sell.
Why It Matters Now
- More Agents = More Competition
- Less inventory = More Competition. The average agent is chasing harder and still losing out.
- Rates are dropping. Get in front of sellers now
- Revaluate gives you leverage. When sellers are scarce, efficiency matters. Our data tells you who to call, when to call, and why they’ll listen.
- Don’t let another listing escape. Even in this tight market, 93% of transactions in the average agent’s database are missed. That’s money left on the table.
Even tho the Pandemic is over, the housing market feels like it’s on lockdown, but the truth is: the listings are still there—they’re just harder to see. Revaluate helps you see them before anyone else.
