What percentage of realtors own real estate?

Understanding how many real estate professionals actually own property, and why, offers valuable insight into their motivations and expertise. This matters not only for buyers and sellers assessing agent credibility but also for agents reflecting on their own investment strategies.

1. What Percentage of Realtors Own Real Estate?

Surprisingly, there’s no definitive public data on exactly what percentage of realtors personally own real estate. However, several key insights help paint a realistic picture:

• According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), there are over 1.5 million members in the U.S., including full-time and part-time real estate professionals.
• Anecdotal evidence and industry surveys, especially among active, experienced agents, suggest a large majority own one or more properties, either as personal residences or investment assets. This is common in larger markets where agents want to align with client experiences.

Although the exact percentage is unclear, anecdotal consensus suggests most full-time, seasoned realtors are homeowners or real estate investors.

2. Realtor Sales Patterns: Context Matters

To understand property ownership among realtors, it helps to know their typical sales volume:

• Median realtor completes around 10 to 12 transactions annually, according to NAR data.
• The top 1% of agents, especially in hotspots like Florida and Texas, handle about 15% of total home sales.
• Part-time or newly licensed realtors often close 5 to 7 transactions per year, while top producers can exceed 50 to 100 sales annually.

Agents with consistent closings, especially high-volume ones, are far more likely to personally own property, both to secure their own housing and to invest.

3. Financial Alignment Inspires Ownership

Many agents understand firsthand the financial dynamics of buying, selling, and holding real estate. Owning personal or investment properties allows them to:

• Provide real-world guidance to clients.
• Experience mortgage financing, tax deductions, and maintenance obligations.
• Demonstrate confidence in their own market knowledge.

This experiential alignment builds trust; buyers and sellers are more inclined to work with agents who truly walk the walk.

4. How Many Realtors Are Licensed?

• The NAR reports over 1.5 million member-licensees in the U.S., but the total number of licensed agents, active and inactive, is estimated at up to 2 million.
• Only a portion of these actively reflects market involvement; part-timers and dormant license holders may not own property.

Ownership statistics mainly pertain to active full-time realtors, who are the more invested (literally) and relevant group. Working with an experienced realtor Brampton professional can provide deeper insights into local ownership trends and help guide your property decisions effectively.

5. Realtors’ Commission Rates Still Reign

While modern platforms like Zillow and Redfin shake up the industry, traditional realtor commissions remain in the 5 to 6% range, split between buyer/seller agents (~2.5 to 3% each):

• These commissions directly support agents investing in personal or rental real estate.
• With rising fee transparency (via antitrust settlements), agents must offer real estate insights, not just commission justification, to stand out.

6. Conclusions & Key Takeaways

• Exact ownership percentage remains unreported, but is commonly high among active, experienced realtors.
• Ownership yields firsthand experience and enhances client trust.
• The total pool of licensed professionals (~2 million) includes part-timers and inactive individuals less likely to own property.

Bottom Line

• For Consumers: Choose agents who demonstrate personal investment, they bring authenticity and knowledge.
• For Realtors: Owning property deepens your expertise and brand credibility.
• For Industry Watchers: Future surveys or NAR data on realtor property ownership would be valuable.

Written by Vanessa Gallanti. June 8, 2025

Enthusiast about planning, project management, construction materials and technology, and construction. A civil engineer from Los Andes University and a content writer for Kukun.