Our job as professionals is to read between the lines and help our clients make better decisions than they could make on their own, writes Greg Haig.
There’s a number that’s being talked about right now that every buyer’s agent in America should know: 630,000.
According to Redfin, there are more home sellers than buyers in the U.S. market. Biggest difference on record. As of February, sellers outnumbered buyers by an estimated 46.3%, up from 29.8% a year earlier. The number of active buyers is estimated at 1.36 million, the lowest number ever tracked by Redfin.
You’ve probably seen the headline. You’ve probably heard of a buyer’s market. Sellers in trouble.
And your buyers are seeing it too, and that’s exactly the problem.
Because these headlines tell the wrong story to buyers. And if we’re honest with ourselves, too many agents have us believe that.
read between the lines
I’ve been in this business for over 50 years. I sold my house in 1980 and 1981 when mortgage rates reached 18%. I was there during the savings and loan crisis, the 2008 financial collapse, the COVID-19 freeze, and the buying frenzy that followed.
All of those moments produced the same pattern. Fear paralyzed the crowds, and those who moved during the paralysis created wealth that lasted for decades.
Having worked in real estate for 50 years, I’ve learned that crowds respond to headlines. Professionals read between the lines. That’s our job. And now, reading between the lines has never been more important.
So let’s read between them.
The 630,000 difference is not due to too many sellers or too much inventory. Because there are too few buyers. Much of the industry focuses on the supply side of the equation. The answer lies on the demand side.
Why is this distinction important? Because as sellers flood the market with homes and inventory increases, it becomes a pricing issue. But when inventory increases because buyers leave the building, it becomes a trust issue. And each treatment is completely different.
Think of it this way. If a restaurant has 50 empty tables, you might think the food is terrible. But what happens when the food is okay but no one can drive there due to a lack of gas? The problem isn’t the menu. It’s a road.
roads are a problem
The problem now is roads. Mortgage interest rates remain at around 6.5%. Oil prices have soared due to the Iran conflict. Tariffs that disrupt markets. Layoffs make headlines. A recent study by the National Endowment for Financial Education found that 88% of Americans are experiencing financial stress heading into 2026.
What’s the fastest-growing real estate search on Google right now? “2026 Housing Crash.” That’s an increase of 1,900%.
Buyers don’t stay in a home because they don’t want to buy. They stay home because they are scared. And, as they say on Wall Street, scared money doesn’t make money.
If you represent a buyer, this means your client is sitting on what could be one of the biggest buying opportunities in recent history, but most of them don’t realize it.
Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS, noted that most sellers are also buyers. “When you have more sellers, you often have buyers right behind them. They’re the same people, so it’s just harder to measure,” she said.
The “gap” between buyers and sellers is not a gap between two opposing armies. This represents the degree of hesitancy within the same group. This is not a collapsed market. It’s a breathtaking market.
I have seen the market hold its breath. 1981. 2009. During the coronavirus pandemic. They always exhale eventually. And when they do, the buyers who moved during the silence will be the ones who have built lasting wealth. The people who were waiting? They paid more for less.
What your clients need to hear from you
This is the conversation buyers need to hear from you. It’s not a headline. The underlying story. Negotiations are currently underway between the sellers. We have plenty of stock. Competitiveness is weak. Your buyer has leverage that didn’t exist two years ago and may not exist two years from now.
As professionals, our job is not just to help buyers buy and sellers sell. It’s about reading between the lines and helping clients make better decisions than they could make on their own. That’s the value of a good agent. That’s a value that headlines can never provide.
The number 630,000 is real. But that’s not a verdict. This is a snapshot of collective anxiety that can dissipate as quickly as it arises. In my experience, anxiety is usually a temporary condition and not a reliable advisor for the future.
Agents who help buyers hold their nerve during periods of uncertainty will be the agents customers hold key to when trust returns. They are also the agents that homeowners call when selling.
Look at the news. Please read between the lines. Your customers need it. Your future business may depend on it.
Greg Hague is the CEO of 72SOLD and a real estate attorney, broker, and agent with 50 years of experience in the industry. Connect with him on Facebook or LinkedIn.
