The industry is changing, but an agent’s core job is not 

Though the real estate industry is experiencing plenty of significant changes, agents across the country are primarily focused on what's happening in their local markets.

Class-action lawsuits, artificial intelligence's increasing role in business operations and the Federal Reserve's monetary policy deliberations may occupy the minds of industry leaders, but most agents aren't spending much time thinking about those topics.

For many real estate professionals working directly with homebuyers and sellers, the same strategy that's worked for decades still holds: Get out there and meet people face to face. So what do they view as the industry's primary challenges and opportunities? A few agents recently shared their perspectives with Real Estate News.

A new agent focused on making connections

Dara Herrera is at an early stage in her real estate career, one most agents remember well: Getting that first deal closed.

The elusive first transaction: While Herrera has gotten close with some first-time buyers, financing issues have caused the deals to fall through. "I had to prepare myself mentally for that, which I think I did, but it's still very hard," she said.

Herrera started working in real estate earlier this year in south Texas' Rio Grande Valley and joined an eXp Realty team this summer. With a background in marketing and content creation, Herrera already had a few key tools to help her get started — but she knew she needed more help. As an industry newcomer, she is focused on building local community relationships and learning from other agents. 

"I wanted to go and surround myself with people that live by this, that know the ups and downs and how to survive," Herrera said.

Educating consumers: One challenge she's already encountered: the effort required to educate potential clients. Working near the U.S.-Mexico border has involved explaining the differences between buying a home in each country. For example, while the U.S. has its multiple listing service structure, Mexico's listing system is decentralized, which makes it more difficult to find accurate information.

Herrera is also navigating consumer perceptions about challenging housing market conditions. Elevated mortgage rates have convinced many would-be buyers that they can't afford to purchase a home until rates fall, and securing financing can be challenging even for those who are determined to buy. Herrera said she has spent a lot of time helping clients find alternatives so that they can make the numbers work.

An eye toward long-term success: While inventory is growing in the Rio Grande Valley region, it's also an area of growth for SpaceX, which means more potential buyers could be moving into the area for tech jobs. These competing forces make it important for agents to do their research. "Sellers need to price strategically, so that's something we've been focusing on," Herrera said.

Though this is a challenging time to work in real estate, Herrera said she is happy to have taken the leap. She aspires to have her own team someday but knows she has to pay her dues with consistent work to get there.

"My goal isn't to just close a transaction; I want to build a relationship that lasts well beyond the closing table."

Adapting to a changing industry

Having worked in the business for 16 years, Terri Novitsky has navigated a variety of real estate cycles. Even with the rise of AI and the temptation to complete every task on the computer, Novitsky said in-person time with clients still makes the biggest difference.

"This is a people business. You have to get out and you have to meet people and you have to help people," Novitsky said. "It's just an easy, organic way to grow your business."

Novitsky began her real estate career in California before moving to Florida and opening her own brokerage in Clearwater 11 years ago. Her five-agent firm is focused on luxury properties, a market segment that's active but undergoing big changes.

Though inventory climbed and home prices fell in early 2026 in Florida, activity and prices have both picked up this summer, according to Florida Realtors data. Novitsky has personally seen a rise in luxury market activity, especially among a somewhat surprising buyer segment.

"Believe it or not, it's the younger generation," Novitsky said. "I have had quite a few buyers in the tech industry paying cash. It's a very different dynamic."

Insurance rates steadying: Like other states hard-hit by climate-related disasters, a common concern in Florida is the rise in homeowners insurance rates. But state insurance regulators say rates appear to be stabilizing, with reported rates falling in 51 counties so far this year. And while hurricanes are still bound to hit Florida, some legislative policy changes have helped make a difference by reducing fraud, according to central Florida-based television news station Spectrum News 13.

In Novitsky's experience, insurance concerns don't come up often with clients, who seem to believe that having good weather for most of the year offsets these other issues.

High-level industry debates matter little to consumers: As for wider industry turmoil around commissions lawsuits and private listings, clients don't tend to bring those issues up either, and Novitsky, who generally isn't interested in private listing options, steers clear of these controversial topics.

"We're thinking about the client because when somebody moves, it's a really big decision that consumes, sometimes, months of their lives," she said. "If we can take the stress out of that and make it easier and more comfortable for them, you know they're just going to be happy."

Consumer AI use among the 'biggest challenges': While AI has helped her brokerage improve efficiency, Novitsky believes the new tech is a double-edged sword. More and more frequently, her agents are working with buyers who have done their own research using AI, which sometimes provides them with disinformation that agents must then untangle.

"Buyers feel like they have access to so much information. I just don't know how they are getting it, so that's one of our biggest challenges," Novitsky said.

Laying the groundwork for future opportunities

For Blake Ingram, a Bellwether Real Estate agent in Bellingham, Washington, entering the industry just as the market was shifting made it challenging for him to build his business.

Surviving in a slow market: Ingram launched his real estate career amid a transition from a very active sellers market to one that came to a sudden halt. While the shift to a more balanced market has allowed inventory to build, it's also keeping agents mostly on the sidelines as they wait for demand to strengthen.

"The competition to gain clients is definitely steep. But we persevere," Ingram said in an email.

For now, he's using this time to meet people and discuss the market's challenges and opportunities. "Being well informed, respectful and kind goes a long way in this business," he said.

Supporting state, MLS actions: Policy moves by Washington state and the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) have simplified some aspects of Ingram's day-to-day life. The state's buyer agreement form, for example, "has made conversations with clients easier regarding compensation and agency representation," he explained.

The state also recently enacted a new law limiting private listings, though Ingram doesn't market private listings and thinks the practice is detrimental to clients. "Real estate ventures yield the best results when they are open, transparent and equitable," Ingram said in an email. "Plus the clients I have do not bring this issue up with me anyway."

Meanwhile, Ingram views the recent lawsuit settlement between Compass and NWMLS — and the MLS's new "First Look" listing option — as a compromise. The case, which Compass filed against the MLS over its pre-marketing rules in April 2025, came to an end late last month.

"There are parts of it I appreciate and others I don't. I'm glad MLS members will retain access to all property data, but consumers won't," Ingram said.

"Agents should act in their clients's best interests — not limit their opportunities," he added.