This national survey captures insights from 750 active real estate agents, including those who closed more than 15 transactions in the past year. We asked agents about their career paths, licensing prep, continuing education, and outlook on the future of the industry. Their answers reveal what’s driving success in today’s market—and how education providers can better prepare tomorrow’s agents.
Percent of respondents who relied on educational tools like pre-licensing courses and exam prep to pass their exams.
Percent of respondents who found educational tools like pre-licensing courses and exam prep to be valuable as they prepared for their exams.
Length of study time for most agents. The highest performers spent 5 hours or more studying per week.
Get a snapshot of who today’s agents are—including age, gender, income level, years of experience, and where they’re licensed. Most agents specialize in residential real estate and nearly half are based in the South Atlantic region.
Explore agents’ motivations, career paths, and study strategies. The top reason for becoming licensed? A genuine interest in real estate. On average, they studied more than 100 hours, and 98% of them relied on pre-licensing education to pass their exam.
Agents are optimistic about the market, citing strong client growth, stable home prices, and a high ROI for real estate. Still, challenges like stress, tech adoption, and commission changes are shaping how agents view their future.
48% of agents expect to grow their client list in the next 6–12 months. AI is expected to support trend forecasting, marketing automation, and lead gen. Nearly 80% expect to stay in the industry for at least 3–5 more years.
Real Estate Agent Outlook for 2025 This infographic highlights insights from Kaplan’s 2025 Survey of Trends, revealing what’s shaping the future of real estate:
Expectations for mortgage rates and home prices
Predicted growth in client volume
Agent sentiment around stress and job satisfaction
Rising use of AI for marketing and market analysis
Explore what today’s real estate agents expect next in the housing market.
*Dearborn is a division of Kaplan Real Estate Education.
This study represents the findings of a quantitative survey conducted by Kaplan Real Estate Education between May 23, 2025, and June 10, 2025. For this survey, a sample of 750 licensed real estate agents was interviewed online in English. The survey covered questions related to their experience becoming a licensed real estate agent, their day-to-day activities, and their perspectives on the current and future state of the real estate industry. The survey was sent to individuals who had shared their contact information with Kaplan Real Estate Education.
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