After a few years of uncertainty, elevated mortgage rates, and cautious buyers, 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for real estate. The market is shifting—not back to the frenzy of 2021, but toward something more balanced and, for many agents, more promising. Whether you’re advising first-time buyers finally ready to make a move or helping sellers navigate a market that looks different depending on where they live, understanding the trends ahead will help you serve your clients better and position yourself as a trusted resource. Here’s what’s on the horizon.
Market & Economic Trends
A Comeback Year for Sales
NAR’s chief economist is forecasting a 14% nationwide increase in home sales for 2026, following 2025’s stagnating levels.1 More stable mortgage rates—expected to hover around 6%—combined with pent-up buyer demand could finally unlock the activity that’s been building for years. For agents, this means more transactions, but also more competition for listings and buyers who’ve had time to become highly informed.
Rising Costs Beyond the Mortgage
Buyers in 2026 will need to think beyond the purchase price. From 2020 to 2025, average escrow costs—what homeowners must set aside for insurance and property taxes—went up 45% nationwide2. In some states like Florida, those costs rose even higher. Agents who can help buyers understand the full picture of homeownership costs—not just principal and interest—will stand out as valuable advisors.
Buyer Demographics
First-Time Buyers Hitting 40
The profile of a first-time buyer has changed dramatically. The share of first-time home buyers plummeted to a record low of 21%, while the typical age of first-time buyers climbed to an all-time high of 40 years.3 This means agents are increasingly working with older, more financially established buyers who may have different priorities—think home offices, proximity to aging parents, or space for growing families—than the young couples of previous generations.
Millennials Making Moves
Despite years of affordability challenges, millennials are showing renewed determination to enter the market. Millennials currently make up 29% of homebuyers, the largest portion across all generations.4 Many have spent years saving, building credit, and waiting for the right moment. Agents who understand this generation’s priorities—flexibility, technology, and transparency—will be well-positioned to earn their business.
Emerging Property Sectors
Senior Housing Boom
Demographics are destiny, and the numbers point to major demand ahead. With the first baby boomers turning 80 in 2026, demand for senior housing is approaching a historic inflection point.5 Developers are responding with a range of options, from active adult communities to wellness-focused, tech-enabled facilities. Agents working with older clients—or their adult children helping them transition—should familiarize themselves with these evolving options.
The Bottom Line
The real estate landscape in 2026 will reward agents who stay informed, adapt to shifting buyer profiles, and understand that the market no longer moves as one. Regional differences matter. Demographics are reshaping who’s buying—and when. And new housing models are emerging to meet demand that traditional homeownership can’t always satisfy. The agents who thrive won’t just react to these changes—they’ll anticipate them, educate their clients, and position themselves as the experts their communities need. The opportunity is there. The question is whether you’re ready to seize it.
As always, Zip Your Flyer has weathered every challenge in the real estate market for 20 years. These same top real estate agents that will need to anticipate the upcoming real estate challenges also understand that getting their listing directly in front of agents is how their listing will sell; and sell fast. Zip Your Flyer uses the industry’s most accurate real estate database to reach agents that have buyers. With real-time campaign tracking plus a 200% higher average open rate than reported industry averages, Zip Your Flyer remains the go-to source to get your listing seen by agents.
We are looking forward to 2026 and the trends to come. Agents have weathered a tougher than expected 2025 and are ready for the market to open up in 2026.
AI is changing the face of so many industries and the real estate industry is no exception. We see the value in the opportunities for its use in the areas below while improving efficiency of daily tasks. It’s worth recognition that there is still an ever important need for real estate agents to use their well-developed skills to know what is best to sell their properties. Clients rely on their agents and brokers to know how to market their listing and how to showcase it’s features. These are areas where AI is currently showing real promise.
Personalized Property Recommendations
AI systems analyze potential buyers’ browsing behavior, preferences, and previous interactions to deliver highly targeted property suggestions.
Machine learning algorithms consider factors like price range, location preferences, amenities, and lifestyle factors to create tailored recommendations.
Virtual Staging and Property Visualization
AI-powered tools can automatically generate virtual staging of empty properties.
Advanced 3D visualization allows potential buyers to see different furniture arrangements and design options.
Virtual reality tours enhanced by AI to provide more interactive and realistic experiences.
Predictive Analytics for Market Insights
AI systems analyze market data to predict property value trends and optimal listing prices.
Machine learning models identify potential buyers based on behavioral patterns and market activity.
Advanced algorithms help determine the best times to list properties in specific markets.
Automated Communication Systems
AI chatbots handle initial property inquiries and scheduling.
Natural language processing enables more sophisticated conversation handling.
Automated follow-up systems maintain engagement with potential buyers.
Content Generation and Marketing Materials
AI assists in writing property descriptions and creating marketing copy.
Automated systems generate social media content and email content.
Smart tools optimize ad targeting and spending across different platforms.
Image and Video Enhancemen
AI algorithms automatically enhance property photos and correct imperfections.
Smart cropping and optimization for different platforms.
Automated video tour creation from still images and basic footage.
Lead Qualification and Scoring
AI systems evaluate lead quality based on multiple data points.
Predictive models identify the most promising potential buyers.
Automated systems prioritize follow-up activities based on likelihood to convert.
These advancements are worth every consideration if it helps agents and brokers be more productive. The recognition is important for the value to still be placed on the human element of such an important transaction. Selling homes is a very personal process for most people and AI will improve efficiency behind the scenes allowing agents to tackle daily tasks with more ease but it still takes real world experience to know how to help clients get the best case scenario for their property. Marketing is an area that relies on human eyes to create a layout that best shows off the property. It takes real estate agents themselves to proofread the AI created listing copy and ensure it highlights the known features of the property. Real estate eFlyers are an important part of selling a property and where a real estate agent’s knowledge about the home truly shows. It’s important to pair the features of the property with the right listing photos to get that marketing piece in front of other agents that have a buyer and truly make a memorable impact.
Spring-time is the perfect time to add some color to your listing with a high impact real estate flyer. Our spring designs are the most anticipated of our seasonal designs and really grab the attention of other REALTORS® in your area. Other agents have your buyer and catching their attention is the entire point of marketing. MLS hotsheets are a great tool; but they are not marketing. Over 90% of Zip Your Flyer eblasts get into the inboxes of agents across all major domains. Order today and get your listing the exposure it deserves.
Featured in INMAN News (see article here) – eVIDEOS are a great way for agents to get dynamic marketing content for social media in a cost-effective, attractive format. eVIDEOS are created for agents to use on Social Media across platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter…etc. Zip Your Flyer eVIDEOS are ordered as an “add-on” to any E-Flyer order at the time of checkout as an add-on. We know video content is hard to come by, this is an easy way to get video content out there across social media and create dynamic attention for your listings. Add-On to your E-Flyer Order for $34.95.
WHY ORDER a Social Media eVIDEO?
We will provide a video file already sized for social media.
Our eVIDEOS will play automatically and loop on social media.
Show your client how hard you are working for them.
Using eVIDEOS on social media is a great way to market your listing.
HOW TO ORDER?
At the time of order, select which style of eVIDEO you prefer (see designs here) designs include Elegant, Modern, Clean and Artistic. We will use your photos and listing info from your E-Flyer order.
HOW DO I GET THE eVIDEO FILE?
The video file is easily downloaded from your My Account page.
Posted on September 26th, 2018 by Caitlin Thornburg | Categories: Marketing & ZipTips
A Bad Virtual Tour Could Cost You Your Sale! ZipYourFlyer.com sends millions of E-Flyers daily and we want to share the good techniques we see for closing listings fast. We know that the more agents that see your listing the faster it will SELL! Don’t wait to get your listing seen, market with the industry leader! With over 1,000,000 agents in a routinely updated database, properties marketed with us have shown to spend 22% Fewer Days on Market!*
Or you can always place an order and upload your own flyer, we will still get you a proof within 2 hours.
Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 888-947-8509 with any questions.
*Findings based on statistical analysis of DOM from Zip Your Flyer listings from Jan.- April 2015 compared with reported DOM market stats in the same time period in same cities.
Posted on April 25th, 2018 by Caitlin Thornburg | Categories: Marketing & ZipTips
Zip Your Flyer Announces the Industry’s Only Patent Pending E-Flyer App!
A true industry first for real estate, Inman news says the Zip Your Flyer App “ensure(s) delivery of agent-to-agent marketing materials” in a recent 2018 review of the App.
Released in 2018, the internationally patent pending Zip Your Flyer App for real estate is a true game-changer for the industry. It offers a free interface for real estate agents to share and communicate their marketing with one another to sell their listings. Real estate marketing has definitely changed over the years, and Zip Your Flyer, a multi-million dollar per year family business, has been a pioneer in the real estate E-Flyer industry since 2005 and continues to lead the E-Flyer industry with cutting-edge innovations to truly make the day-to-day activity easier for real estate agents. Our company platform stands behind true customer service with real designers creating every E-Flyer within a 2 hours window and no monthly fees.
Agents have always needed a way to make their listings stand out to other agents, however, MLS Hot Sheets are not marketing!
The E-Flyer App was created to address the loss of control agents feel with their inboxes due to the ever-changing algorithms of their email providers; which often override personal preferences. More and more, the email you want and need to see goes to alternate folders and the email you don’t want to see keeps coming to the inbox. With the Zip Your Flyer E-Flyer App, agents are now in control and are notified to see agent-generated marketing for listings in their local area. E-Flyers no longer need to fill-up an agent’s email, although they can still be received via email if preferred. Zip Your Flyer’s proprietary sending software is mirrored with the E-Flyer App to allow E-Flyers to display in a real-time feed based on their delivery area when they log in to the App.
This Free E-Flyer App allows real estate agents to view and search E-Flyers in their area; save favorites to forward on to clients or other agents via email or texting of the E-Flyer; quickly map the property; easily communicate directly with the agent on the E-Flyer via text or call and view virtual tours and websites associated with each property. All from a single Free App created specifically for real estate agent’s needs. Agents can also quickly place their E-Flyer orders and approve their proofs while on the go.
The graphics are truly innovative and extremely visual to create an impact feel while viewing properties. View Our Video Here to See the Zip Your Flyer App in Action.
-Caitlin Thornburg, Executive VP of Sales, Zip Your Flyer
Posted on March 9th, 2018 by Caitlin Thornburg | Categories: Marketing & ZipTips
Our team had a great event at the Keller Williams Family Reunion 2018 in
Anaheim, CA. This was our second event with Keller Williams as a member of their National Approved Vendor Program. Our sales team consisted of Caitlin Thornburg, our Executive VP of Sales; Account Executive Sheri Young and Brokerage Coordinator Teresa Oskam.
We met with thousands of KW associates and had an overwhelmingly positive response to our product and family business. This was the first event where our brand new Internationally Patent Pending E-Flyer App was released and shown to the real estate industry. We had great feedback and expect to see great things as agents add the only E-Flyer App to their daily routine. (Check back next week for full details about the new E-Flyer App).
The biggest takeaway from the event was actually the story of Zip Your Flyer. Associates were very pleasantly surprised to find out that we are founded by a real estate agent husband and wife team and still operate as a family business. Real estate is a business based on earning the trust of consumers and agents in return want to be in business with companies they trust as well. We guarantee our product because we know it works and we stand behind it.
We learned a lot from our associates at the event and are always trying to improve our business based on suggestions and feedback from agents.
Thank you to all of our agents for your continued business.
Posted on March 6th, 2018 by Caitlin Thornburg | Categories: Marketing & ZipTips
Your Buyer Needs are a big deal in this market. We are in constant communication with agents nationwide, some are feeling the listing shortage more than others. One request we have heard over and over again recently is the need for real estate E-Flyers that are not listing related, but Buyer Needs related.
Have you ever thought of using E-Flyers as a way to get your Buyer Needs out there to other agents?
As the original real estate industry E-Flyer company, Zip Your Flyer has always tried to help agents and respond to changes in the market to suit your needs. With this widespread request, we have now started offering Buyer Needs E-Flyers. One this to consider when ordering or thinking about an E-Flyer related to a Buyer Need is what makes them different than a listing E-Flyer? For starters there is no actual property, so the design of the flyer needs to catch the attention of other agents right away. Also, keep in mind that the Buyer’s main need is the focus; whether it’s a specific location, or a specific sticking point like acreage… make that your banner. See Buyer Needs E-Flyer samples here.
Like all other listing E-Flyers, Buyer Needs E-Flyers still need to be convenient for agents to order so you can be on your way with your busy day. Our real designers still put together these Buyer Needs E-Flyers within a 2 hour window for an agent to receive their proof. A Buyer Need is just as important as a listing, it needs to get out there to agents in the area from our database of over 1 million agents that we constantly update and maintain.
The ability for a company to respond to changes in the market is important. Anytime an agent has feedback or concerns, those concerns are valid. We have understood for years that not all agents want to receive E-Flyers; which is why Zip Your Flyer just launched the first ever E-Flyer ap
p for the industry. Now, you can order your flyers, approve proofs and View your E-Flyers all in an App. It’s a way to see marketing from other agents outside of your email without any cost. The E-Flyer App is Free in the iOS App Store and will be coming soon to the Android platform. This is a great way to gain further exposure for your listing, and now for your Buyer Needs. The Zip Your Flyer E-Flyer app is internationally patent pending and we are very excited to be providing multiple solutions to common concerns agents are voicing regarding an ever-changing market.
Please feel free to call us at 888-947-8509 with any questions, or visit www.zipyourflyer.com for more information.
As a family business founded by agents, we are truly here to help agents with no monthly commitments. You use us when you need to.
Posted on November 27th, 2017 by Caitlin Thornburg | Categories: Marketing & ZipTips
Here are Some Easy Ways for Any Agent to Make Your Listing Photos Look Better!
Photos can make or break the sale of a listing, yet not all agents are able to hire a professional photographer. At Zip Your Flyer we see hundreds upon hundreds of listing photos per day and these tips and tricks can really make a difference for your listing without the photos looking overly produced.
Many agents aren’t aware of the simple free photo editing solutions they already have at their disposal, or perhaps they aren’t quite sure what settings they need to adjust and how to use these free programs.
Most common reasons you may need to edit a listing photo:
1. There is often too much sky in the exterior image, or the photo is too zoomed out.
2. Are there actual people in the photo?? See the “before” example shown with people on the sidewalk – simple cropping gets them out of that corner.
3. Too much darkness either on exterior or interior photos.
Here are some simple photo editing tips that are easy and can be achieved no matter the device you are using.
Are you using your smartphone for photos?
It’s highly likely that your phone has a free photo editing app (such as Google Photos,
Mac Photos or Windows Photos). Once you are viewing a photo on your phone there is usually an Edit option, then a Light/Brightness option. One commonly unknown setting further into these menus for brightness is called Shadows. When you select to edit the Shadows, this will increase the dark areas in your photo without washing out the entire image. This will really brighten up your photo and make the rooms look filled with light and larger in size.
Are you using a digital camera?
The same edit tools as above can also be found when using most digital cameras. Before uploading your photos from your digital camera to your computer try to view them on the camera itself. Then take advantage of the camera’s built-in editing options for Light/Brightness and also the option for Shadows.
Why some photos look over produced:
1. Playing around with the contrast isn’t bad per se, just don’t overdo it.
2. Feel free to try and increase color saturation, but again, overdoing it can lead to the colors looking too vibrant and obviously manipulated.
Both your phone and camera also have cropping options, sometimes just taking a step back and really looking at the photo to get rid of some of the neighbor’s house, or some of the sky can bring the house into focus better.
I hope these tips help, small editing can make a huge impact on your listing photos.
Posted on October 17th, 2017 by Caitlin Thornburg | Categories: Marketing & ZipTips
When you get a listing, there are so many things to do! You must get it into the MLS, you have to write about the house, you need to take pictures, put up signs, get it syndicated online all over the place, make flyers, put it up on your website, get a virtual tour created, schedule open houses, decide whether to advertise it in the paper or magazines or online…
When you look back at listings you’ve sold in the past you probably wouldn’t be able to credit just one of your activities as THE reason your listing sold. Maybe one had great pictures, another had a terrific open house or maybe someone just drove by and saw it… so many variables to consider when evaluating what works.
But there is always one reason that stays the same – a Selling Agent showed your listing to the buyer. E-Flyers are a terrific way to be sure other agents know about your listing. Of course, most good agents review new listings as they come up on the MLS. Maybe the agent with your perfect buyer doesn’t review new listings regularly, or your listing’s main photo didn’t grab them, or your listing was slightly out of their search parameters. There are so many reasons for your listing to accidentally get passed by and excluded from their searches, while it might be just what their buyer is looking for.
Sending an E-flyer presents your listing to other agents the way you want it to be seen. Maybe the brand-new kitchen should be the focus, or a terrific view or the large yard. E-flyers let you showcase the best features of your listing and grab the attention of other agents.
Choosing the right E-flyer Company then becomes the challenge. There are many questions to consider to really be sure you are getting what you pay for and that you are represented in a professional way to your fellow agents. As the nationwide leader in real estate E-flyers, sending millions of E-flyers per day, we want to share some valuable tips and resources with the real estate community. As an agent-founded business, we understand the needs of agents and we set out to prove what we already knew… E-flyers do work! We took 6 major cities across the nation in a given time period and found that properties marketed by Zip Your Flyer showed 22% fewer days on market. This is key, getting out there in front of other agents matters!
Make sure you determine which pricing model is right for you. Do you want to join a model where you pay a monthly fee or commit to purchasing a certain number of email flyers throughout the year? Agents pay monthly for so many products, Zip Your Flyer feels that E-flyers should truly be a service you only pay for when you have a listing and whenever you need an E-flyer.
Customer Service is a phrase that gets used a lot. It is always refreshing to be connected to a Customer Service Representative right away. Doesn’t happen too much these days. It should be easy to call a company and get quick answers to your questions or concerns. Real customer service, and real designers are an integral part of your experience to ensure your professionalism is carried through in your marketing.
With the right company, E-flyers are a professional way to get your listing out in front of agents.
