83 Shocking Real Estate Statistics You Need To Know

In 2021, 20% of home buyers were single women, whereas less than 10% were single men. Real estate statistics like this one are a critical part of understanding the ever-changing real estate market and the industry at large.

We’ve researched multiple sources to bring you 83 of the most compelling real estate stats from across the industry—covering everything from market performance, agent demographics, marketing, teams, brokerages, and more. If you want to understand the trends, you’ll first need to know the numbers. 

Real Estate Agent Statistics

1. More than 40% of active Realtors in the United States are located in California, Florida, Texas, and Arizona.
2. Nearly 2% of the adult population in Florida has an active real estate license.
3. The number of active Realtors in Arizona has grown by nearly 10% from 2020 to 2021.There are currently more than 3 million active real estate licensees in the United States.
4. As of October 2021, there were 1.56 million members of the National Association of Realtors®(NAR).
5. More than 65% of active Realtors are women.
6. The median age of all Realtors in the United States is 52.
7. 45% of Realtors have completed a bachelor’s or graduate degree.
8. 20% of Realtors have had their license for a year or less.
9. 82% of licensed Realtors own their primary residence.
10. 37% of licensed Realtors own at least one secondary property.
11. There are more than 1,100 local Realtor associations in the United States.

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Looking for a Realtor? These Four States Have Plenty!

12. 68% of all real estate licenses in the United States are held by agents, the rest are held by brokers and associate brokers.
13. The median experience level of licensed professionals in the real estate industry is five years.
14. There are approximately 120 million occupied housing units (by renters and owners) in the United States.

[READ MORE: How to Become a Real Estate Agent in California in 5 Easy Steps]

Real Estate Market Statistics

15. There are approximately 120 million occupied housing units (by renters and owners) in the United States.
16. 92% of homes sold in the U.S.in 2021 were sold using an agent or a broker.
17. The average listing price for a home in the United States has risen more than 32% since March 2020 to $374,900 as of June 2021.
18. The median sales price for a home in the United States in 2021 has increased by 416% since 1980.
19. U.S. homes spent a median of 31 days on market in 2021—the lowest median selling period in more than 15 years.
20. The median days available (before a contract) was nine, also the lowest in more than 15 years.
21. Interest rates have literally never been lower than in 2021—at one point hovering around 2.68% (as a national median).
22. Gen X became the largest homebuying cohort last year, purchasing nearly one out of every four homes that sold in 2021.
23. The number of homes sold in 2021 (to date) was up by nearly 10% over 2020 to 6.29 million as of September 2021.

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Real Estate Business & Income Statistics

24. Realtors typically make more than 95% of their annual income from real estate commissions.
25. The median gross commission income for Realtors working 19 to 40 hours per week in 2021 is $43,300, down from $46,000+ in 2020.
26. The median gross commission income for Realtors working 40 to 60 hours per week is $87,550.
27. The median gross commission income for Realtors working more than 60 hours a week is $145,347.
28. Realtors with 15 years of experience (or more) have a median gross income of $75,000.
29. Realtors with 20 years of experience (or more) have a median gross income of $101,633.
30. The median number of annual transactions for a licensed real estate agent is 10.
31. 71% of Realtors specialize in residential real estate.
32. Realtors earning $100,000 or more in gross commission income are more than twice as likely to use advanced technology tools like a CRM than agents who earn less.

[READ MORE: Real Estate Broker vs Agent: A Head-to-Head Analysis]

Real Estate Social Media Marketing Statistics

33. 74% of Realtors use Facebook for business purposes.
34. 56% of Realtors use LinkedIn for business purposes
35. More than 30% of Realtors report closing at least one transaction a year as a direct result of their use of social media.
36. Americans now spend, on average, more than an hour a day on Facebook and Facebook-connected platforms.
37. Facebook Live watch times have, on average, quadrupled since 2020.
38. The average American Facebook user clicks on eight ads per month, and that number increases to 10 ads a month for women.
39. 60% of agents surveyed by The Close list active social media as more important than a website.

[READ MORE: 15 Social Media Mistakes All Agents Should Avoid]

Real Estate Video Marketing Statistics

40. Nearly 80% of active listing agents use drone photography and videography to market their listings.
41. More than one out of every five commercial drone shoots are now done for real estate purposes.
42. 73% of homeowners say they’re more likely to list with a Realtor who uses video to sell property.
43. Homes with drone photography as a part of the marketing plan sell, on average, 68% faster than those without.
44. Recent sellers reported only 10% of their agents effectively used video to market their property.
45. 78% of real estate professionals surveyed by The Close say that video is important to making agents stand out on social media.

[READ MORE: 11 Real Estate Videos Smart Agents Are Using + Examples]

Other Interesting Real Estate Marketing Statistics You Need to Know

46. In 2021, 68% of home sellers reported finding their agent via a referral from friends or family.
47. In 2021, the typical Realtor earned 34% of their commission income via repeat clients and referrals.
48. 70% of licensed real estate professionals have a website.
49. On average, the third most viewed page on a real estate agent website is the “About Us” page.
50. 69% of recent home sellers surveyed said that they would gladly write a review for their sales agent, if requested.
51. When asked about the most important trait they look for in an agent, prospective home sellers chose “professional reputation” more than any other trait.
52. Less than 1% of homebuyers reported finding their new home via print advertising.

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Real Estate Brokerage Statistics

53. There are currently more than 107,000 brokerages operating in the United States.
54. 32% of all real estate licenses in the United States are held by brokers or associate brokers.
55. A typical real estate agent stays at a brokerage for five years.
56. Real estate brokers and associate brokers close a median of 13 annual transactions.
57. 45% of brokers report that “keeping up with technology” is the biggest challenge their agents face.

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Home Selling Statistics

58. More than 5.64 million existing homes are projected to sell in 2021.
59. More than 800,000 newly constructed homes are projected to sell in 2021.
60. The median available days on market for a home in the United States in 2021 was less than 10.
61. The typical FSBO home sold for 17% less than a home listed with a Realtor.
62. Homes listed for sale on a Thursday typically sold for more (and faster) than homes listed on any other day of the week.

Who is Selling? A Home-Seller Statistical Snapshot

63. The typical home seller in the United States is 45 years old.
64. The typical home seller has owned their home for eight years.
65. The typical size of a U.S. home sold in the last year was 1,900 square feet.
66. The typical home seller bought their home using a mortgage.
67. The typical home seller will cash out 30% of their purchase price in proceeds from a sale in 2021.

[READ MORE: How to Get Listings: 21 Luxury Listing Agents Spill Their Secrets]

Home Buying Statistics

68. More than 20% of homebuyers in 2021 were single females.
69. Less than 10% of homebuyers in 2021 were single men.
70. 34% of home purchases in 2021 were made by first-time homebuyers.
71. The median age of a first-time home buyer in the United States in 2021 was 33.
72. The median age of a repeat home buyer in the United States in 2021 was 56.
73. The median household income for a first-time home buyer in the United States in 2021 was $86,500.
74. Repeat U.S. homebuyers in 2021 earned a median household income of $112,500.
75. 11% of homebuyers in 2021 purchased multi-generational homes due to children above the age of 18 moving back home, for cost-saving, or to care for their aging parents.
76. 3% of homebuyers in 2021 were active-duty service members.
77. 29% of homes purchased in 2021 had a sale price of more than 100% of the asking price.
78. 41% of buyers report their first step in the home buying process was looking at homes online, while only 19% of buyers contacted a real estate agent as their first step.
79. The typical buyer in 2021 visited eight homes before making a purchase.
80. In 2021, the typical first-time homebuyer financed 93% of their home’s purchase price, compared to 83% for repeat home buyers.
81. 28% of first-time homebuyers reported using a gift or a loan from family or friends for some or all of their downpayment.
82. 60% of Realtors report that in 2021, lack of inventory was the most important factor limiting potential clients from making a purchase, overtaking 2020’s “finding the right property in the right price range”.
83. Nearly 60% of home buyers under the age of 29 don’t expect to be in their home for more than 10 years before selling again.

[READ MORE: 15 Powerful Timesavers Top Buyers’ Agents Use to Close Deals Faster]

How Many Realtors in Each State?

Over To You

Was there a real estate statistic we didn’t cover that you’d like to hear about? Leave us a comment below. Let’s keep the conversation going!

SOURCES:

Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO), National Association of Realtors, Realtor.com, Real Estate Agent U, Contactually, Real Estate Express, Hootsuite, Carrot, RIS Media, U.S.Association of Unmanned Aerial Videographers, Autel Robotics, 60% of Real Estate Pros Say Social Media Is More Important Than a Website (+ Survey Results)        

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