Real's July Agent Survey: Agent Optimism Index Jumps to Four-Month High as Transaction Activity Shows Signs of Improvement

Globe and Mail

4 hours ago

The Real Brokerage Inc. (NASDAQ: REAX, 'Real'), a leading real estate technology platform redefining the industry through innovation and culture, today released results from its July 2025 Agent Survey. The data shows a significant rebound in agent optimism and an improving trend in home sales activity relative to June, despite ongoing affordability concerns, and a continued shift in negotiating leverage toward buyers. It also highlights the critical importance of service, communication, and responsiveness when agents advise clients on which mortgage and title service providers to work with.
'Our July survey confirms that the ongoing pressure from affordability and macroeconomic concerns is cementing a firm shift to a buyer's market across the industry,' said Tamir Poleg, Chairman and CEO of Real. 'The survey also shows that clients lean heavily on their agents for advice and guidance on which ancillary service providers to use, indicating that providers who deliver transparent communication and timely service stand out. We believe in the future, greater adoption of technology and AI can enhance service levels and better address this critical need for clients.'
Key Survey Findings: Market Trends and Insights
Agent Optimism Rebounds to Highest Level in Four Months: Real's Agent Optimism Index, which measures agents' 12-month outlook for their local markets, jumped significantly to 67.2 in July from 59.5 in June. This marks the highest reading in four months, with 63% of agents feeling more optimistic compared to the prior month, including 15% who felt significantly more optimistic. (Scores are weighted on a 0-100 point scale, with scores above 50 indicating net optimism and scores below 50 signaling net pessimism.)
Transaction Activity Shows Gradual Improvement: Real's Transaction Growth Index, which tracks agent-reported year-over-year changes in home sales activity within their local markets, rose to 49.3 in July, an improvement from 46.2 in June. This suggests that the pace of decline in transaction activity was more moderate in July than in June. The data shows that while 37% of agents saw fewer transactions compared to last July, 34% saw an increase, and 29% reported activity that was approximately flat year-over-year. (Note: This index reflects agents' perceptions of local market trends and is not indicative of Real's company-specific transaction volume. Scores are weighted on a 0-100 point scale, with scores above 50 indicating year-over-year growth and scores below 50 signaling a decline.)
Markets Continue to Favor Buyers: In July, 52% of agents said their local market favors buyers, up from 48% in June. Only 19% said it favored sellers, a notable drop from 26% in June, with 29% describing conditions as balanced.
Affordability and Economic Uncertainty Remain Top Challenges: Affordability continues to be the top challenge for buyers, cited by 58% of agents in July, an increase from 51% in June. Economic uncertainty also remains a significant hurdle, cited by 22% of agents in July, down from 26% in June. Meanwhile, inventory constraints and buyer competition were seen as lesser issues, cited by 12% and 5% of agents, respectively.
Key Survey Findings: Agents Role in Recommending Closing Services Providers
The survey findings reveal that agents play a critical role in navigating clients throughout a real estate transaction, and their recommendations on mortgage and title service providers hold significant influence over a client's ultimate decision on which provider to choose.
Clients Rely More on Agents for Title than Mortgage: A much higher rate of agents (62%) reported that their clients use their recommended title provider nearly always (75%-100% of the time), compared to just 40% who mentioned clients nearly always work with their recommended mortgage provider. This suggests clients are more willing to defer to their agent's judgment for title work, while they are more likely to shop for mortgage rates.
Service Is Everything: Responsiveness and Communication are the Key: When asked to name the single most important factor in recommending a closing services provider, agents gave the following responses:
For Mortgage Services:
For Title Services:
Responsiveness and communication of the title officer: 39.0%
Accuracy and efficiency of title work: 29.8%
Existing relationship with the provider: 16.1%
Speed and certainty of title clearance and closing: 15.2%
What Would Make an Agent Recommend a New Provider? The survey reveals that beyond pricing, the most compelling reasons that would prompt agents to switch closing services partners fall into four key buckets:
Speed: Faster and more reliable closings are a primary motivator, cited by 29.9% of agents for mortgage providers and 25.7% for title providers.
Dedicated Support: Having a dedicated support team with proactive communication specifically for that agent's brokerage is a major driver, selected by 25.9% of agents for mortgage and 26.3% for title.
Technology: Superior, easy-to-use technology is also a significant factor for both, at 14.7% for mortgage and 17.8% for title. Seamless integration with brokerage platforms was a lesser but still present factor.
Nothing: A notable percentage of agents said nothing currently listed would compel them to switch from their current provider, at 15.2% for mortgage and 18.6% for title.
A full summary of these results can be found on Real's investor relations website at https://investors.onereal.com/.
About the Survey
The Real Brokerage July 2025 Agent Survey included responses from over 550 real estate agents across the United States and Canada and was conducted between July 31, 2025 and August 14, 2025. Responses to questions regarding transaction growth and agent optimism were calibrated on a 0-100 point index scale, with readings above 50 indicating an improving trend, whereas readings below 50 indicate a declining trend. Responses are meant to capture industry-level information and are not meant to serve as an indication of Real's company-specific growth trends. Additionally, given the smaller sample size, there can be greater variability in Canada index results on a month-to-month basis.
About Real
Real (NASDAQ: REAX) is a real estate experience company working to make life's most complex transaction simple. The fast-growing company combines essential real estate, mortgage and closing services with powerful technology to deliver a single seamless end-to-end consumer experience, guided by trusted agents. With a presence in all 50 states throughout the U.S. and Canada, Real supports over 29,000 agents who use its digital brokerage platform and tight-knit professional community to power their own forward-thinking businesses.
Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as 'seek', 'anticipate', 'believe', 'plan', 'estimate', 'expect', 'likely' and 'intend' and statements that an event or result 'may', 'will', 'should', 'could' or 'might' occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. These statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as of the date hereof. Forward-looking information in this press release includes, without limiting the foregoing, expectations regarding the residential real estate market in the U.S. and Canada.
Forward-looking information is based on assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, including but not limited to expectations regarding 2025 market conditions. Real considers these assumptions to be reasonable in the circumstances. However, forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Important factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to, slowdowns in real estate markets and economic and industry downturns, and those risk factors discussed under the heading 'Risk Factors' in the Company's Annual Information Form dated March 6, 2025, and 'Risks and Uncertainties' in the Company's Quarterly Management's Discussion and Analysis for the period ended June 30, 2025, copies of which are available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. These factors should be carefully considered and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, Real cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and Real assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.