“Nick,” she sighed, “six months ago, I had buyers fighting over every listing. Now I can’t get a single offer. What am I doing wrong?” I felt her pain. Across Atlanta, Nashville, and Dallas, I’ve heard the same worry in dozens of voices. The truth is, it’s not incompetence or bad luck – it’s the market. The 2025 real estate landscape has shifted dramatically, leaving even veteran agents feeling whiplash. In this blog, I want to speak to that inner frustration and fear many of you have right now, and share some perspective (and hope) from my experience working with hundreds of agents in these challenging times.
A Market on Pause – and Agents in Limbo
Let’s start with a reality check: the market is more challenging in 2025 for you and nationwide. Mortgage rates have hovered around 6.7–7% for a 30-year loan, more than double the pandemic. Buyers who could barely afford last year are completely priced out now due to high rates and still-high prices. In April 2025, the average 30-year fixed rate was about 6.73% – roughly twice what it was at the bottom in 2021. That’s a gut-punch to affordability, and demand has pulled back.
Meanwhile, housing inventory has started to improve after years of drought. Realtor.com reported inventory was up over 30% year-over-year, according to businessinsider.com. But even so, home sales remain sluggish. Existing-home sales are still running at only ~75% of pre-pandemic levels. NAR’s chief economist, Lawrence Yun, noted that despite adding millions of new jobs, sales have been stuck at three-quarters of “normal” for three years. Why? Because so many buyers are sidelined by high costs. The pent-up demand exists, but families want to move and wait for a rate break to “release” that demand. Until that happens, we all live in real estate limbo where transactions crawl at an uncomfortably low pace.
Pending home sales index by region for April 2025, illustrating declines across all areas as the market slows (index 71.3, down 6.3% month-over-month). Nearly half of listings now sit 60+ days on market – the highest share of stale listings in years.
If you feel like you’re working twice as hard for half the results, you’re not imagining it. Nationwide, pending home sales in April 2025 fell 6.3% from the month prior. Year-over-year, sales are down about 2%, on top of the declines of 2023. It’s no wonder many agents I talk to are anxious. Fewer sales mean fierce competition for the businesses out there. And indeed, the industry is more crowded than ever. Nearly 2 million licensed real estate agents in the U.S. compete for roughly 4.2 million home sales. Do the math… that’s more than two agents for every home sold. In other words, an oversaturated field chasing scarce deals. Even top producers are feeling the squeeze as volume shrinks. If you’re newer or had hoped to grow this year, it’s easy to feel invisible and discouraged.
Sellers with 2021 Expectations vs. 2025 Reality
Of course, it’s not just buyers causing the standstill – sellers are an issue too. Many homeowners still haven’t accepted that the market has flipped. Remember the frenzy of 2021, with 10 offers in a weekend and prices escalating? In 2025, those days are gone. The balance of power has swung firmly to buyers, but many sellers “have yet to see or accept the writing on the wall,” as Redfin’s senior economist puts it. I hear it from agents daily: “My seller wants to overprice because their neighbor got X last year.” In reality, **there are now 33% more homes listed than buyers are shopping, the most significant imbalance in at least a decade. We’ve effectively tipped into a buyer’s market, and when buyers are scarce, they regain negotiating power and prices soften.
Sellers, however, are often still expecting 2021 outcomes. Many “hold out hope that their home is the exception and will fetch top dollar,” Khan (the economist) observed. That hope fades as listings sit longer, and weekend traffic is a trickle. Over 44% of homes listed in April 2025 sat on the market for 60+ days – the highest share of stale listings for any April since 2020. Nearly half of our sellers are getting zero traction for months! Why? Overpricing is a big culprit. Sellers are clinging to “sky-high comps from the recent seller’s market that aren’t realistic today, ” according to businesswire.com. Some are doing it because they bought at 2022 peak prices and can’t afford to sell for less (businesswire.com). I recently worked with an Atlanta agent whose client insisted on listing their suburban home at $50K above the CMA-recommended price “to leave room for a bidding war.” That war never came – not a single offer in six weeks. The seller was furious; the agent felt helpless.
This gap between seller expectations and reality is one of the most emotionally draining challenges for Realtors in 2025. You’re stuck delivering news they don’t want to hear. You might be afraid to push too hard and lose the listing, but if you don’t set a realistic price, the listing will languish, and everyone ends up frustrated. It’s a lose-lose situation that saps your energy and confidence.
Story from the Field: The Unrealistic Seller
Last month in Nashville, I spoke with a seasoned agent, Rebecca, who was upset about a high-end listing. Her client, a luxury home seller, was adamant their property was “special” and would attract multiple offers above asking. Rebecca tried to counsel them, and the data showed similar homes sitting 90 days and price cuts becoming common, but the seller wouldn’t budge. They listed high. As weeks passed with minimal showings, Rebecca watched her client cycle through denial, anger, and disappointment. She said, “I feel like I failed them, but I also knew this would happen.” We talked through a strategy: she gathered fresh market data and some news media, and gently walked the client through the fact that buyers had gained the upper hand and pricing needed to reflect current reality. She also suggested making the listing pop with a fresh media push – new dusk photos, a 3D tour, and a targeted social media ad campaign highlighting the home’s value. The seller reluctantly agreed. They got an offer within two weeks of re-launching with a new price and marketing. It wasn’t over-asking, but it was fair. More importantly, Rebecca salvaged the relationship by guiding her client through a hard pivot with empathy and facts.
The takeaway? Real estate agents must diligently reset expectations and make their listings shine to capture the few buyers. Listings need to earn the buyer’s attention through compelling presentation and pricing to sell in this climate. That’s a tough pill for sellers (and some agents) to swallow, but it’s also an opportunity to showcase your expertise and creativity.
Turning Fear into Focus: What You Can Control
With so much out of your hands, Fed decisions, economic swings, seller stubbornness, it’s easy to feel powerless. I’ve had moments myself where I worry for the agents we serve. But in these conversations, I’ve also noticed something: the most resilient Realtors are those who double down on the things they can control. You can’t single-handedly lower mortgage rates or conjure more eager buyers, but you can control how you react and where you spend your energy.
First, focus on educating and guiding your clients. This is where your empathy and authority come into play. The market has shifted, and clients are scared – they need you to be honest and proactive. If a seller insists on chasing last year’s price, don’t just become an order-taker; find a tactful way to show them the hard truths (charts, articles, neighborhood stats). They may not love the message, but most will ultimately respect you for keeping them from a bigger disappointment later. Remember, as tough as these talks are, they reinforce why you’re valuable as an advisor. One of my Dallas agent clients told me she started including a brief “state of the market” chat at every listing presentation, highlighting how today’s buyer behaves differently (fewer bidding wars, more concessions) and what that means for pricing. She said it’s helped weed out unrealistic sellers upfront and build trust with the reasonable ones.
Second, make the most of your listings and buyer clients. In a slow market, every listing is precious, and you treat it as such. This is where real estate media becomes crucial. When buyers are fewer and choosier, the homes that sell often grab attention and don’t let go. High-quality photos, video walkthroughs, virtual tours, and floor plans aren’t “extras” anymore; they’re expectations. How will your listing stand out if inventory is up and buyers have options? I always tell agents that you can’t control the market, but you can control your marketing. That might mean investing in a professional media package even for your mid-range listings, not just the luxury ones. It might mean trying a creative video story for a home that’s not getting traffic – I’ve seen a playful TikTok home tour or a well-placed Instagram Reel suddenly draw out a buyer who’d overlooked a property on Zillow.
A quick data point: Zillow rolled out a new premium Listing Showcase last year, providing enhanced interactive listings on its site. Early numbers show **agents using these richer media tools swing 30% more listings than those who stick to the basics. Why? Sellers recognize that how their home is presented can make a difference in this climate and want an agent who will go the extra mile. Even if you’re not using Zillow’s product, the principle stands – better media = happier sellers and a higher chance of attracting scarce buyers.
Finally, let’s talk mindset. It’s okay to admit that this market is scary. It’s OK to feel drained. Many of us define our value by our sales success, so when deals dry up, it hits at a deeper level of confidence. I’ve had heart-to-heart chats with agents who wondered if they should stay in the business through this downturn—my advice: don’t make that call while you’re in a fog of frustration. Yes, 2025 might not be your best year financially, but cycles change. The same forces slowing us down now – high rates, economic uncertainty – will eventually shift. Most forecasts suggest mortgage rates will ease into the low 6% range by the end of the year, which should bring some buyers back. NAR predicts a bump in home sales (up to +9% in 2025) as things improvenar.realtornar.realtor. Whether that pans out or not, remember that you’ve endured challenging times before (hello, 2008?!) and the skills you hone now – pricing acumen, creative marketing, client care – will make you incredibly competitive when the market rebounds.
The Media Shift: Making Lemonade out of Lemons
There’s a silver lining here. Slower markets can positively change our operations, as painful as they are. I’m seeing agents who used to rely on a red-hot market now upping their game – getting better at storytelling, improving their listing media, and finding new ways to reach clients. One of my Realtor partners in Atlanta started a weekly video series during open houses, essentially turning quiet Sundays into content creation time. She’d do a quick Facebook Live or TikTok showcasing the home, talking about the neighborhood, even interviewing a neighbor or local business owner. Initially, it was born of frustration (“If buyers won’t come to me, I’ll bring the home to them,” she joked), but it’s turned into a bit of a personal brand for her. People watch these videos; she’s gotten new client inquiries from being authentic and present on social media. Necessity pushed her to innovate, and it’s paying off.
Think about how you can do the same with your authentic style. Maybe you’re not comfortable with video, but that’s fine. Perhaps focus on ramping up your photography and virtual tour game, or writing mini market updates on LinkedIn to position yourself as the local expert. Maybe you love being on camera… Lean into that and start that YouTube home tour channel or TikTok series. Using this slower time to invest in your skills and marketing assets is key. These efforts not only help you survive now by engaging whatever buyers are out there, but they set you up to thrive when the market eventually swings upward.
And remember, you don’t have to do it all alone. As a real estate media professional, I founded Realkit precisely to be an ally to agents in times like these. When you’re overwhelmed, burnt out, or simply out of ideas, lean on partners who can amplify your efforts, that might mean hiring a photographer for those dazzling twilight shots or getting a videographer to craft a story around your listing. It might mean using our team to create an interactive 3D tour that you can splash on social media to attract curious buyers. These are not gimmicks – they’re tools to bridge buyers' emotional gap about making a big purchase in a scary time. A well-done video tour can help a hesitant buyer feel the potential of a home from the safety of their couch. A beautifully staged and photographed listing can rekindle excitement about moving, even when headlines are doom and gloom.
Finding Hope (and a Path Forward)
Let me close with this thought: You are not alone in feeling the strain of 2025. This “silent” market – the open houses with one visitor, the listings that get three saves on Zillow instead of 30 – it’s testing all of us. But real estate has always been a story of ebbs and flows. The agents who come out stronger on the other side adapt and persist. Adaptation might mean shifting your perspective on media and marketing – seeing it not as a flashy extra, but as a lifeline and a way to differentiate yourself when the usual methods aren’t working. It might mean reaching out instead of retreating – talking to peers, venting to mentors, brainstorming with folks like me who work behind the scenes. Some of the best ideas I’ve seen this year were born from two Realtors putting their heads together and saying, “What can we do differently?”
Above all, keep your why in focus. You became a Realtor to help people find homes, build wealth, and realize dreams. That purpose is still valid, perhaps even more so now. The clients who are out there truly need your guidance through the turbulence. When you feel the stress mounting, remember the agent you were when deals were flowing – that competent, valued professional is still you. The market’s circumstances don’t define your worth. You may need to adjust your approach but you don’t need to abandon your confidence.
In a particularly low moment, one of my Nashville clients half-joked, “Maybe I should just wait tables until the market gets better.” I responded, “But who will care for your sellers and buyers if you’re gone? You’re exactly who they need right now – someone who cares enough to weather this with them.” She’s still in it, slowly turning things around by focusing on what she can control (and yes, doing some killer video home tours that have set her apart!).
If you’re struggling, contact colleagues, me, and whoever can offer a fresh perspective or a helping hand. Real estate agents are nothing if not resilient. This storm will pass. In the meantime, let’s support each other, get a little creative, and remember that even in a “crickets” market, there are opportunities to grow and serve. Your clients will remember how you showed up during the hard times, which builds a truly lasting business.
Soft close: As the founder of a real estate media company, I’m admittedly biased that significant media matters – but I’ve also seen firsthand the difference it makes. If you need someone to brainstorm ways to rejuvenate a stale listing or you’re curious how advanced media can lighten your load, feel free to connect with Realkit. We’re here to partner in your success, not just a vendor. In times like these, having a trusted ally to help shoulder some of the work, whether producing an immersive virtual tour or sharing the latest market insight, can make all the difference. You focus on your clients; we’ll help make you and your listings look great. Hang in there – you’ve got this, and we’ve got your back.
