Real Estate Agents Say Housing Market is Balancing Out

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” — Chinese Proverb

A recent report by CNBC’s Diana Olick says while the U.S. housing market has yet to pick up steam, real estate agents say there’s been a real shift toward a more balanced market. The data comes from CNBC’s Q4 2025 Quarterly Housing Market Survey.

Some key points:

• Of the real estate agents surveyed, 37.5% said it was a balanced market.

• More agents reported having at least one seller cut their price in Q4.

• When asked how affordability is impacting their buyers, agents said fewer buyers left the market in the fourth quarter than in the prior period, and fewer delayed purchases.