Study shows Realtors® are optimistic for the future

A new study shows that 60 percent of Realtors® are doing 100 percent of the business, meaning 40 percent of Realtors® did not close a single transaction in the first six months of this year.

Additionally, 29 percent of Realtors say they are “very optimistic” about their local markets, while 71 percent say they are “cautiously optimistic,” with zero percent saying they are “not at all optimistic” about their local markets.

The survey, Realtor® Productivity Study of Multiple Listing Service activity, was just released by the consulting firm WAV Group and sponsored by Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®), a member benefit of the National Association of Realtors®.

After surveying nearly 335,000 Realtors®, almost a third of the National Association of Realtors® audience, and 150 multiple listing services, the WAV Group also discovered that more than 80 percent of Realtors categorize their local inventory as “somewhat” or “very” limited, with fewer than 20 percent saying that their local inventory is “not limited.”

However, only 58 percent of members check their MLS daily to check their listing or market performance. The WAV Group theorized that those that don’t check in daily are not prospecting regularly, or just holding onto their membership for other use.

This finding suggests that some Realtors® aren’t keeping up with advances in technology, said Marilyn Wilson, WAV Group founding partner who oversaw the study for RPR®.

“If only 60 percent of your target audience is actively logging into the MLS system every day, the likelihood they are going to be seeking out and adopting new technologies beyond the MLS is pretty slim, so why should they be counted? You need to based your benchmark on the 60 percent of your audience that is actually doing business,” Wilson said.