Just 65 Percent of Real Estate Agents Think Now is a Good Time to Sell in Latest Redfin Survey; Down from Third Quarter

SEATTLE, Jan. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Redfin (www.redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage, today released its latest survey of real estate agents. Data was collected from December 12 through December 14, and reflects responses from 468 Redfin real estate agents in 22 major metropolitan markets across the U.S.

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The Redfin Real-Time Agent Sentiment Survey is part of an ongoing series that also includes surveys of homebuyers and sellers.

Redfin real estate agents:

• Indicate that it is still a good time to sell, but less so: In the fourth quarter, 65% of agents said that now is a good time to sell, compared to 72% in the third quarter and 86% in the second quarter. At the same time, agent perspectives on buying remained steady, with 56% of agents saying it's a good time to buy compared to 55% last quarter.
• Say that buyers are ready to make concessions for the right home: In the fourth quarter, 35% of agents said that buyers are "willing to pay more" to find a home compared to this summer. At the same time, about 30% said buyers were "flexible on features," held "lower expectations" for how far their money will stretch, were "looking to new construction" because of limited inventory, and were "prepared to waive contingencies" to win a bid.
• Say that buyers continue to be frustrated by inventory: In the fourth quarter, agents cited "limited inventory" (87%) as the biggest challenge for buyers. Competition from bidding wars was buyers' second largest concern, but notably this response dropped to 65% from 79% in the third quarter.
• Report that sellers believe their home is worth more than market value: In the fourth quarter, 63% of agents said that sellers have "unrealistic expectations" about the value of their home, nearly flat from the third quarter. At the same time, 31% say that sellers are frustrated with the number of homes available that they would be interested in buying.
• Believe that if mortgage rates top 5.5%, it would significantly limit home sales and price gains: With the expectation of higher mortgage rates in 2014 as the Federal Reserve reduces its stimulus program, 39% of agents believe that rates exceeding 5.5% would harm home sales and price growth. At the same time, one-third of agents surveyed believe that mortgage rates would have to reach 6% to have that effect.

"These days, finding the right home is more difficult than ever," said Redfin Phoenix agent Marcus Fleming. "With such limited home inventory available, buyers who need to move now often have to compromise on upgrades or location to find a home that meets their budget and basic needs."

About the Q4 2013 Redfin Real-Time Agent Sentiment Survey
This survey was taken between December 12 and December 14, 2013. Survey respondents included 468 Redfin agents. Respondents spanned 22 metropolitan markets in the U.S.: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Orange County, Miami, Long Island, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C.

Click here to view full report, including charts and graphs. Additional data is also available by contacting [email protected].

About Redfin
Redfin (www.redfin.com) is a technology-powered real estate broker that represents people buying and selling homes. Founded and run by technologists, Redfin has a team of experienced, full-service real estate agents who are advocates, not sales-people, earning customer-satisfaction bonuses, not commissions. Redfin.com features all the broker-listed homes for sale, as well as for-sale-by-owner properties that don't pay brokers a commission. Redfin also offers online tools that make the entire process of buying or selling a home easier and more fun. The company serves 22 U.S. markets and has closed more than $13 billion in home sales. In 2012, Redfin was named one of The DIGITAL 100: World's Most Valuable Private Tech Companies by Business Insider.

SOURCE Redfin