The WAV Group 2026 Broker Sentiment Survey set out to take the pulse of broker-owners, broker-managers, and principal brokers on the issues shaping their businesses today, from MLS satisfaction and AI adoption to brokerage consolidation and the long-term direction of the industry. The brokers who responded skew toward independent and experienced.
FSBO sellers often underestimate the time, risk, and complexity involved. When things go wrong, they usually lose far more than the commission they intended to save. The research makes this clear, and MLSs are in a strong position to amplify that message to the industry.
When did “location, location, location” stop meaning “close to work”? According to the NAR's just-released 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, the number of buyers who cited proximity to their job as a top factor in choosing their neighborhood has dropped to just 31%. That’s nearly half the share from 2014, when it was 52%. It’s a striking reversal, given that many employers have tightened their return-to-office policies over the past year. So, what’s really going on here? The great reshuffle is aging, literally It turns out today’s homebuyers are the oldest in modern history. The median age hit [...]
Our 2025 WAV Group Natural Disaster Homeowner Sentiment Survey makes it clear that the expectation falls squarely on agents. When homeowners were asked who should disclose flood risk, real estate agents came out on top—well ahead of inspectors, appraisers, or local governments.
We’ve worked with brokerages of all sizes. Some were thriving. Others were barely holding on. The difference wasn’t market size, brand, or even production. It was leadership. Here’s what the top-performing firms are doing that others miss:
Technology is one of the largest expense items on a broker’s P&L. CRM systems, marketing automation, lead nurturing tools, CMA platforms, websites and social media services are just a few of the technologies brokers offer today. They feel like they have to offer a robust suite of tools to compete effectively today. But ask most brokers how many of their agents are using those tools consistently, and the answer is usually, “I’m not sure.”
The importance of VOWs is only increasing. A VOW is not just another website. It’s a powerful brokerage platform that allows firms to offer comprehensive online services.
In an environment where margins are tight and top producers have options, having a clear, fair, and competitive compensation model can make all the difference.
As the Improve-to-Sell market continues to grow, this white paper provides actionable insights for real estate professionals looking to stay ahead of the curve.
The 2025 NAR Generational Trends Report from NAR just dropped, and it reads like a family portrait of America in transition. Baby Boomers are moving closer to grandkids, Gen Zers are scurrying to scrape together enough savings to buy their first place, Millennials still buy the most homes, and Boomers are the top home sellers. Here are some things agents will want to know about to better understand the differences in the generations they serve: Gen X makes the most and buys the most expensive homes Buyers aged 49 to 58 now top the income charts, with a median household [...]
By Kevin Hawkins with Korey Hawkins | Vol. 3 Issue 5 REAL AI is a human-created weekly roundup of all things related to artificial intelligence in real estate and emerging AI innovations in other sectors likely to impact our industry. Note: This content will soon only be available via our free newsletter, delivered every Monday. Please subscribe here! Delta AI Survey: Real estate is an AI leader Real estate has been a notorious tech lagger for decades. Despite millions in VC funds pumped into the category, widespread adoption of new tech by real estate agents has always been elusive. In [...]
At WAV Group, we were inspired to learn more about homeownership portals because of our own very real need to manage four personal properties. Managing properties in three distinct locations required us to keep track of preferred vendors for plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and other essential services. We also needed a way to memorialize vendors we used for repairs, painting, and landscaping. Additionally, we needed reminders for routine maintenance tasks. Managing one home is challenging enough, but managing four is even more complicated. Who remembers the last time they changed a furnace filter or cleaned out a dryer vent?
