40% of Home Buyers and Sellers Fear a Real Estate Market Crash in 2026

Amid concerns about the economy and a potential market crash, 93% of 2026 buyers and sellers plan to change their habits to save money in the year ahead.

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 40% of Americans planning to buy or sell a home in 2026 worry about a potential real estate market crash, while nearly all (98%) expect challenges when buying or selling next year, according to a new report from Clever Offers, a platform owned by Clever Real Estate that allows home sellers on tight timelines to explore their selling options.

Just 40% of buyers and sellers believe the U.S. economy is heading in the right direction, while 40% expect the economy to worsen in 2026 — compared to just 27% who think it will improve.

More than half (55%) foresee a recession or economic depression, and 93% anticipate challenges to their financial stability, with inflation and rising costs cited as the top concern (33%).

In fact, nearly half (40%) of buyers and sellers worry they may not be able to afford housing payments in 2026 due to the economic climate.

Amid financial pressures, nearly half of 2026 sellers (45%) are considering selling without an agent, up from 33% who considered it last year.

Overall, 55% of buyers and sellers expect home prices to rise in 2026, compared to 42% of agents. The percentage of agents (30%) who expect home prices to fall in 2026 is nearly double the 16% of buyers and sellers who expect a decline.

Still, all groups remain broadly optimistic. Nearly three-quarters of buyers and sellers think 2026 will be a good time to buy (73%) and sell (72%), with agents expressing similar optimism for both buying (77%) and selling (75%).

Expectations for overall market conditions vary, with 42% of buyers and sellers predicting a buyer's market, 34% a seller's market, and 23% a balanced one. Agents echo that sentiment, with 48% expecting a buyer's market, 28% a seller's market, and 24% a balanced market.

Although a majority of real estate agents (51%) think 2026 will be better for the real estate market than 2025, nearly all (96%) anticipate challenges ahead.

Read the full report at: https://cleveroffers.com/research/housing-market-predictions-2026

About Clever Offers
Clever Offers is a platform that empowers sellers who need to sell quickly or for cash to compare options and make informed decisions. Clever Offers' free service connects sellers with vetted cash buyers and top local realtors, allowing them to evaluate traditional cash offers alongside options such as cash offers with a second payment upon resale, listing on the MLS for as little as 7 days, and standard open-market listings.

About Clever
Clever Real Estate's content reaches over 10 million readers annually, and its nationwide agent matching service has a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 3,800+ customer reviews. Since launching in 2017, Clever has reached $14.7 billion in real estate sold, matched 188,000+ customers with realtors, and saved consumers over $220 million on commission fees. Clever's network spans 18,000 agents across all 50 states.

CONTACT: 
Alyssa Evans
Clever Real Estate
[email protected]
315-690-1518

SOURCE Clever Offers