As we put 2025 and all of its frustrations — the stubborn interest rates, the lack of inventory, the high prices — in the rearview, it’s fair to ask, will 2026 be any better? According to our reporting, the answer is a resounding “probably.”

Experts we interviewed all point to a gradual return to a prepandemic normal, with emphasis on the word “gradual.” The consensus is interest rates in the low-6% range, wage growth outpacing price increases and more inventory — the main ingredients for the dish everyone, whether homebuyers or grocery shoppers, craves: affordability. And in our industry, increased affordability translates into what we’re all seeking: increased sales.

But don’t take our experts’ word for it. We surveyed the end-of-year outlooks issued by the major real estate platforms, and they also point to an incremental improvement this year. Redfin calls it “The Great Housing Reset” and Zillow says the market will settle into a “healthier state,” while Realtor.com predicts “sales will remain in low gear as balance holds.”

Also in this edition, the new National Association of REALTORS® president, Kevin Brown, concurs, writing that the residential real estate market is poised to see much-needed relief.

“Home sales are expected to rise because of easing mortgage rates, increased market stability and job gains,” he says. “At the same time, home prices are expected to rise 4% due to supply shortages and steady demand.”

Meanwhile, top coach and Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty President Jim Miller argues that despite the headwinds we faced in 2025 — and will continue to confront in 2026 — our success also depends on our actions and how we choose to confront the market’s challenges.

As he writes in our monthly Top Coach column, “The agents who will thrive in 2026 aren’t waiting for the market to hand them opportunities. They’re creating them.”

On that note, we’d like to wish all of you a productive and rewarding 2026.