Seasoned real estate agents are anchoring the residential market as buyers confront the toughest affordability environment in decades, according to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) 2026 Member Profile, published on Thursday.

The annual report, based on 2025 transactions and trends, shows the typical member now has 13 years of experience, up from 12 years in the prior survey. NAR membership stands at 1,438,569, as of late June 2026, according to the release.

Three-quarters of members (75%) say they are “very certain” they will remain active in real estate for at least the next two years, edging up from 74% a year ago, despite an existing-home sales pace just above 4 million units — the lowest level since 1995, according to the report.

“The real estate market has been operating under suppressed conditions for more than three years, and yet the typical Realtor continues to gain experience and stay committed to the profession,” Jessica Lautz, NAR deputy chief economist, said in the association’s announcement. “What we are seeing is a more seasoned industry — professionals who are leaning on referrals, repeat clients and deep market knowledge to navigate one of the most challenging buyer environments in decades.”

Experience and production

The profile underscores a widening gap between newer and veteran agents, with 15% of members having two years or less in the business, while 23% have 26 years or more. Additionally, the typical agent closed nine transaction sides in 2025, with a median individual sales volume of $2.7 million for brokerage specialists, up from $2.5 million in 2024. Newer agents, which the report defines as Realtors with experience of two years or less, had a median of two individual transaction sides and $330,000 in sales volume, while mid-career agents (6–15 years) had a median individual volume of $3.3 million.

On the income side, median gross income from real estate activities reached $59,200 in 2025, a slight increase from $58,100 in 2024. Agent income continues to scale with tenure with Realtors with 16 or more years of experience reporting a median gross income of $88,500, up from $78,900 and members with two years or less in the business earning a median of $8,000, just below $8,100 a year earlier.

Median total business expenses rose to $9,530 from $8,010, with vehicle costs the largest category at $1,580.

Teams and business models

For the first time, NAR separated individual and team production data, reflecting how often agents now work in formal teams. According to the report, 21% of Realtors worked as part of a team in 2025, with a median of four team members. Individually, the typical agent reported nine transaction sides; as a team, the median was 32 sides. In addition, team-based brokerage specialists reported median sales volume of $17.5 million, compared with $2.7 million individually. Residential specialists on teams typically closed $11.9 million in volume, while commercial specialists reported $21 million.

The report also found that even as brokerages consolidate, most Realtors remain affiliated with independent brokerages, with 53% of members reporting they are with independent companies. The median tenure for members with their current firm is six years.

Affordability is the top client constraint

NAR’s survey asked brokerage specialists to identify the most important factors limiting potential clients from completing a purchase. Housing affordability again led by a wide margin at 27%, compared to 12% for lack of inventory and 11% for difficulty finding the right property.

Lautz said in the release that the market “is sharply divided between repeat buyers with housing equity who can move with relative ease and first-time buyers who are struggling to save for a down payment.”

That divide shows up in production patterns as well. Experienced agents, who are more likely to serve repeat and move-up clients, reported much higher shares of repeat and referral business: 

• Repeat business: Median 28% of business overall, up from 20% a year earlier; 49% for agents with 16+ years in the business versus 0% for agents with two years or less.
• Referrals from past clients: Median 22% of business overall; 32% for the most experienced agents versus 0% for those with two years or less.

Who Realtors are today

The report continues to show a profession that skews older, female and college-educated:

• The typical Realtor is a 57-year-old white female who owns her home.
• Women account for 66% of all Realtors, up from 63% in the previous survey.
• 86% of members own their primary residence, and 41% own a secondary property.
• 73% say real estate is their only occupation; 27% have another income source.
• The median household income for Realtors’ households is $141,100.

Most members had careers outside real estate before entering the field. Fifteen percent came from sales or retail and another 15% from management, business or finance. Only 6% reported real estate as their first career.

Work patterns and technology

Realtors reported working a median of 35 hours per week in 2025, unchanged from the prior year. Work hours vary by role, with sales agents reporting a median of 30 hours per week and brokers and managers who sell reporting a median of 40–45 hours per week.

Technology use remains nearly universal, with 96% using a smartphone daily or nearly every day for business and 93% use email, 55% use social media apps and 52% use GPS on their phones daily or nearly every day, while 73% maintain a business website, most commonly featuring their own listings (82%), consumer education content (70%) and a link to their firm’s site (62%).

Despite the push toward virtual tools earlier in the decade, most business is still not directly traceable to virtual tours or open houses. NAR found 62% of Realtors got none of their 2025 business from in-person open houses, and 81% got none from virtual tours.

Looking ahead

With 75% of members very certain they will remain in real estate over the next two years, NAR’s profile suggests that entrenched practitioners with strong repeat and referral pipelines will continue to control a large share of transactions if sales volumes stay near current levels.

This article was written by Brooklee Han and generated with the assistance of HousingWire Automation, then reviewed by a HousingWire editor before publication.