Survey shows deep anxiety but guarded optimism about next year's housing market
Home buyers and sellers heading into 2026 appear torn between fear of a crash and hope for a gentle reset of the housing market, according to new survey data from Clever Offers.
Four in 10 respondents who plan to transact next year said they worry about a potential real estate market crash, even as a strong majority still view 2026 as a good time to move.
The findings arrived after a volatile 2025 marked by easing mortgage rates, rising inventories and nagging inflation.
Instead of welcoming cheaper money, president Donald Trump sharpened his attacks on Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell and signaled that his next choice to lead the central bank would push harder for aggressive easing.https://t.co/EIuIXI27nh
— Mortgage Professional America Magazine (@MPAMagazineUS) December 11, 2025
Just 40% of 2026 buyers and sellers said the United States economy is heading in the right direction, and 55% expect a recession or depression.
Yet 73% still thought next year would be a good time to buy, while 72% said it would be a good time to sell.
“Just 40% of those who plan to buy or sell a home in 2026 believe the U.S. economy is heading in the right direction,” the Clever report found.
“Nevertheless, 86% of those planning to buy or sell a home in 2026 think next year will be a good time to do so.”
Another 93% of buyers and sellers said they expect challenges to their financial stability in 2026, with inflation and rising costs cited as their top economic issue.
“About 40% are worried they won't be able to afford their housing payments in 2026 due to the economic climate,” the survey found.
Nearly all planned to change spending habits to save money, from cutting back on dining out to shopping less frequently.
Buyers, sellers and agents split on what comes next
Respondents largely expect prices to keep climbing. “A majority of those who plan to buy or sell a home (55%) in 2026 expect the price of homes to rise in their local market next year,” Clever reported, even as 30% of agents expect prices to fall.
Roughly 42% of buyers and sellers foresee a buyer’s market, compared with 34% who anticipate a seller’s market.
Nearly half of agents also expect a buyer’s market, and 51% believe 2026 would be better for housing than 2025, although 96% still see significant challenges ahead.
That caution echoes broader industry forecasts. Fannie Mae’s Economic and Strategic Research Group projected mortgage rates would end 2026 around 5.9%, with home sales recovering to just over 5.1 million units as the market slowly normalized.
Commission shifts and agent competition reshape the playbook
The Clever survey also pointed to quiet but meaningful shifts in how consumers approach real estate professionals.
Nearly half of would-be buyers said they are considering purchasing without an agent, while 45% of sellers said they might list without representation, up from 33% last year. At the same time, 70% of 2026 buyers still expect sellers to cover their agent’s commission.
Agents are responding by leaning into technology. Approximately 86% plan to use AI in some part of their business in 2026, from writing listings to market analysis, as they face heightened competition from alternative models and automated platforms.
The next year looks unlikely to deliver a dramatic bust or boom. Instead, it promises a cautious, rate-sensitive market in which households act defensively, agents fight harder for relevance and lenders need to win over clients who believe the economy might get worse but still see next year as their best shot to move.
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