Escrow Agencies and Other Real Estate Services NAICS 531390

Feb 21, 2026 - Market Advantage Shifts to Home Buyers

• The Wall Street Journal reports that the cooling US housing market is shifting power back to buyers as discounts and concessions become increasingly common. About 62% of buyers last year purchased homes below the original listing price, the highest share since 2019, according to Redfin. The average discount reached roughly 8%, the largest since 2012. Redfin data shows the market had more than 600,000 more sellers than buyers in December, giving active shoppers more leverage to negotiate, walk away after inspections, and avoid overpriced or renovation-heavy listings. Redfin expects modest sales growth this year as buyers and sellers align on pricing.
• Commercial real estate brokerages are facing rising uncertainty as investors question whether advances in AI could eventually erode the labor-intensive services that drive their revenue, even as firms report improving fundamentals, according to Bisnow. In mid-February, a sharp stock sell-off hit CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers, and Newmark, reflecting fears that automation may reshape advisory work, research functions, and parts of the transaction process. Brokerages have invested heavily in AI tools, aiming to boost productivity, streamline underwriting, and reduce research costs. Executives argue that relationships, market expertise, and proprietary data will keep brokers central to deals. Still, investors are increasingly focused on whether efficiency gains could compress headcount and commission-based revenue. The moment underscores a broader debate about how quickly AI may alter brokerage workflows, staffing models, and long-term profitability.

• Sales of existing US homes decreased by 8.4% in January 2026 from December and were down 4.4% year-over-year, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said, "The decrease in sales is disappointing. The below-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation this January make it harder than usual to assess the underlying driver of the decrease and determine if this month’s numbers are an aberration. Affordability conditions are improving, with NAR’s Housing Affordability Index showing that housing is the most affordable it’s been since March 2022. This is due to wage gains outpacing home price growth and mortgage rates being lower than a year ago. However, supply has not kept pace and remains quite low."
• Commercial real estate lending strengthened in Q4 2025 as higher origination volumes, larger average loans, and improved loan-to-value ratios lifted activity, according to CBRE. The Lending Momentum Index rose 67% year over year to 1.2, driven by a 26% jump in permanent loan financing and the strongest monthly volume since 2021. Alternative lenders accounted for 40% of non-agency closings, while banks increased originations by 73% quarter over quarter. Commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) volume surged, with 2025 issuance reaching its highest level since 2007. Underwriting metrics improved as loan constants and interest rates fell, debt service coverage ratios edged up, and loan-to-value ratios increased modestly.