Recent data from the National Association of Realtors shows how small the real estate industry really is. 71.1% of agents did zero transactions last year. Zip. None. Not even one. Another 14.9% closed just 1–4 deals, which means 85% of licensed agents did four or fewer transactions in an entire year. At that point, let’s be honest—are you actively practicing real estate… or just holding a license?
But here’s where the truth really hurts the industry: Only 7% of agents closed 10 or more transactions in a year. Seven. Percent. That means actual, repeat, market-tested experience lives in a very small slice of the profession—yet consumers are often told “all agents are the same.” They’re not. Not even close.
So here’s my question for you, when you’re interviewing an agent, skip the fluffy questions. Ask the one that actually matters: How many transactions did you close last year? Transactions are reps. Reps are experience. Experience is what protects you when negotiations get tight, inspections get ugly, or the market shifts overnight.
And yes—I say this comfortably as someone who’s done a lot of deals. No, it’s not my fifteen years’ experience but the number of sales I had last year that shows I continue to be relevant. Good agents should love talking about their numbers. Because numbers aren’t bragging—they’re proof. The industry doesn’t suffer from a lack of licenses. It suffers from a lack of experience.
