The Real Estate Stats Are Confusing. Here’s What They Really Mean.

If you have been in any real estate Facebook group lately, you have seen some version of this headline.

“Most agents did zero deals.”

Then you see another stat that says the “typical agent” did a bunch of sides.

So which is it.

Are most agents starving. Or are most agents doing fine.

Yes.

And before you roll your eyes, hear me out. The numbers are not “lying.” They are just counting different things, in different ways, for different audiences.

If you understand that, you stop arguing about the stats and start fixing the actual problem.

The stat you saw. And why it sounds like the end of the world

One set of numbers tends to come from a broad view of the industry. It pulls in a lot of people who are technically agents, but are not really working as agents.

Think part-time license holders. “Referral only” folks. New agents who never got traction. People who keep the license active “just in case.” People who got in during a hot market and then vanished when it cooled off.

When those people are included, you get scary headlines.

And scary headlines get clicks. Who knows. Maybe that is the whole point.

The other stat. And why it sounds like everything is fine

Another set of numbers tends to come from surveys or membership studies that reflect activepractitioners.

That group skews toward agents who are actually in the business.

They show up for trainings. They attend association events. They pay for tools. They answer surveys. They are more likely to be doing deals.

So the “typical agent” number looks better.

Neither of these views is “wrong.” They are just counting different populations.

If you are still reading, here is the punchline.

The market does not care which stat you believe.

The market rewards the people who do the work.

The only question that matters

Forget the internet argument for a second.

Which bucket are you in right now.

1. Failing. You are not getting enough real conversations to create a pipeline.
2. Bogged down. You are busy all day, but your work is not turning into appointments.
3. Succeeding. You have a simple system. You repeat it. Closings happen.

This series is going to be about those three buckets.

Not because I enjoy pointing fingers.

Because I have seen this movie for almost four decades.

Same plot. Different year.

Why this matters in 2026

The business is more rules-heavy, more competitive, and more expensive than it used to be.

Even if volume ticks up a bit, the “easy deal” is not coming back.

Buyers hesitate. Sellers hesitate. Everyone wants certainty, and nobody can get it.

So what happens.

A lot of agents try to solve uncertainty with “more tools.”

New CRM. New lead source. New AI thing. New shiny dashboard.

Meanwhile the basics are sitting in the corner, ignored.

And the basics still work.

Let me tell you about “Mike”

Mike is not a real person. He is a composite of 200 conversations.

Mike is a decent agent. Likeable. Knows the contracts. Shows up on time.

Mike also has 1,400 contacts in a CRM.

If you ask Mike who he should call today, he stares at the screen like it is a slot machine.

Then he goes back to scrolling Instagram and “researching” the market.

Mike is not failing because he is lazy.

Mike is failing because he has no system that forces him into conversations.

And yes. Conversations are still the job.

AI is great. Automation is great.

But AI cannot replace your willingness to talk to people.

The hidden truth behind the stats

When the market tightens, it does not “punish agents.”

It reveals agents.

It reveals who has:

• a database they actually work
• a follow-up routine that runs even when they are busy
• a message that attracts the right people
• the discipline to do boring things consistently

It also reveals who does not.

That is the divide. It is not talent. It is not luck. It is not your logo.

It is daily behavior.

A quick self-check. No fluff.

Answer these honestly.

• Did you have five real conversationsyesterday with people who could buy, sell, or refer.
• Do you know exactly how many people are in your active pipeline, by stage.
• If I asked you to pull up your CRM right now, could you filter to “needs a touch this week” in under one minute.
• Do you have a simple weekly rhythm for your sphere and past clients, or do they only hear from you when you need something.

If those questions feel uncomfortable, good.

That discomfort is data.

What this series is going to do for you

I am going to break this into five posts.

1. This post. The stats are confusing, and why that does not matter.
2. Why agents fail. The predictable traps, and the minimum standards that fix them.
3. Why agents get bogged down. Busy all day, broke all year.
4. Why agents succeed. The boring habits that create consistent closings.
5. Use the tools you already have. How to turn your CRM into a money maker.

If you want the spoiler, here it is.

Most agents are not missing information.

They are missing execution.

Your one assignment before Post 2

Do one thing today.

Open your CRM. Pick 10 people you actually know. Call them.

No pitch. No script gymnastics. Just a human check-in.

Ask.

• How are you doing.
• What are you working on this year.
• Anything I can help with.

Then write a note in the record.

That is it.

If you do not do that, nothing else I write will help you.

Yes, that was blunt. I am okay with it.

Final thought

Stop trying to win the argument about the stats.

Start winning your week.

Pick your bucket. Own it. Then do the work to move.

Post 2 is next. We are going straight at why agents fail, and what fixes it fast.

I urge you to up your game.