Cities With the Most (and Fewest) Real Estate Agents Depending on where you live, you may have no trouble finding a real estate agent. Like many other sectors of the economy, the real estate market was shaken in 2020 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shutdowns and social distancing measures slowed down real estate transactions in the spring, bringing home sales down to their lowest levels since 2007. As time has gone on, the real estate market has produced both challenges and opportunities for buyers, sellers, and their real estate agents, making it difficult to predict trends moving forward. On the buyers’ side, low mortgage interest rates have continued to spur demand overall, and the new normal of work-from-home has made more workers reconsider the value they place on where they live, commute times, and home amenities. Meanwhile, some households have lost jobs and income due to the economic repercussions of the pandemic, while others are in a position to enter the market due to decreased spending and increased savings this year. For sellers, health concerns and economic uncertainty have kept many homes off the market, leading to record low inventory—but this constrained supply is driving up home prices to record levels for those who do decide to sell.