They Promised an Execution. We Showed Up for a Closing.
Updated: Apr 30
Real Estate Generational Trends 2026
Mark Twain once said that reports of his death were greatly exaggerated. In 2026, the same can be said for the real estate agent.
They all told us the internet would kill the travel agent. Then they said AI would kill the real estate agent. The NAR 2026 Generational Trends report just dropped, and it looks like the reports of our death were greatly exaggerated.
In a world of "instant offers" and ChatGPT-written listings, 91% of sellers and 88% of buyers still chose an actual human being to lead them through the real estate process.
Despite a decade of apps promising to open the doors for everyone, it seems they have fallen short. The share of first-time buyers has plummeted to a record low of 21% - they showed up at the gunfight with a knife.
While they are trying to use New School tools to get into the market, the Old School problem of supply, demand, and leverage is no match for a Boomer's balance sheet, and their trusted and seasoned real estate advisor.
When you break down the numbers, the highest satisfaction rates (92%) come from the Silent Generation. These are people who have seen every market disruptor come and go for nearly a century. Data show that they aren't impressed by the bells and whistles of technology; they are impressed only by results, and they are still using a real estate advisor.
𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘆, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗮𝗽𝗽 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱.
Until next time,
Jeff.
Forging Modern Careers on 47 Years of Scar Tissue
About the Author: I am a self-retired real estate professional with a career spanning 47 years. Throughout decades of market changes, I remained dedicated to the idea that real estate is about more than square footage—it’s about the human element. Today, I write about the lessons learned from a lifetime of helping people find the place that truly feels like home, hoping that sharing these insights will help the next generation of agents better serve their clients and find fulfillment in their own careers.
(C) 2026 Jeff Sorg
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