Although the war in Iran has
The Real Brokerage's Agent Optimism Index, which measures agents' 12-month forward outlook, increased to 64 in April from 62 in March. While notably below February's 70.3 mark, the index remains well above the 50 threshold that signals a net positive outlook and near the 65.8 recorded in April 2025.
More than half, 55%, of agents reported feeling more optimistic in April than March, including 13% who said they were significantly more optimistic, according to Real's April 2026 Agent Survey.
Real's Transaction Growth Index, which tracks home sales activity reported by agents within their local markets, also rose slightly to 50.6 in April from 50.3 in March, both more than February's 48.1, reflecting seasonal trends. While 33% of agents reported fewer transactions compared to April 2025, another 33% saw an increase, and 34% experienced similar activity.
Forty-one percent of agents said the market continues to favor buyers, consistent with 40% in March but down from 45% in February. Meanwhile, 26% reported seller-favorable conditions and 33% said their market was balanced, each similar to March's survey as well.
Forty-five percent of agents again cited affordability as
Mortgage rates ticked down to begin April, but
How are agents getting their business?
When asked which lead generation strategy delivers the best results, 60% of agents said referrals and repeat clients were their most effective source of business, reinforcing a trend seen in previous surveys. Almost 60% of agents also reported that at least half of their overall business comes from referrals and repeat clients, according to the survey.
"Technology continues to change how agents market themselves, but real estate is still fundamentally a relationship business," said Jason Cassity, chief growth officer of Real, in a press release Thursday. "Across multiple surveys, we continue to see referrals and repeat clients outperform nearly every other lead source, even as agents increase their use of digital marketing tools."
In comparison, 17% said social media was their most effective lead source and 8% reported online lead portals. Other lead generation strategies, such as geofarming and pay-per-click advertising, typically accounted for 10% or less of business volume, the survey found.
As a result, most respondents reported relatively modest marketing budgets for 2026. Seventy-five percent of agents said they will spend less than $10,000 on marketing and lead generation this year, including 40% who plan to spend $2,500 or less, according to the survey.
