97% of real estate agents didn't close a single home last year. Read that again. Almost every licensed agent in this country went a full year without one closing.

So should you become a real estate agent in 2026, or are you walking into a meat grinder? I just broke the whole question down on YouTube, and this article is the written version. Short answer: it depends which side of the fence you're standing on.

I Got Licensed When Everyone Told Me Not To

I got fully licensed in 2013. That market was coming straight off the 2007-2008 crash, and everybody around me said it was a terrible time to get into real estate. I did it anyway, and my logic was simple. If I can make it in a bad economy, then when things get good, I should be really successful.

That logic worked. Here we are in 2026 and the same question is back. Rates are high. Homes are sitting. Buyers are waiting on the sidelines because nobody wants a huge monthly note. From the outside looking in, it looks like a bad market.

It looks bad for a reason. A lot of agents aren't making money right now. That's just the reality.

Why the Failure Rate Is About to Get Worse

Here's what most people miss. A lot of agent fees come due at the end of the year. Your MLS dues. Your board dues. Your membership renewals. Your continuing education. It's a stack of money you pay just to keep the license alive.

When that bill shows up, agents do one of two things. They look at a year of thin income and leave the business, or they tell themselves the brokerage was the problem and switch companies. Either way, there's massive movement coming at the end of the year.

The Opportunity Nobody's Talking About

Every agent who quits leaves space behind. Space on teams. Room at brokerages. Fewer competitors fighting over the same clients. On top of that, January always brings a wave of people acting on their New Year's resolution to get into real estate.

If you're willing to learn the business while it's hard, you're building skills the easy-money agents never developed. When the market turns, and it always turns, you'll already know how to work. They'll be starting from zero.

Who Should Get In Right Now

Get in if this is a career you actually want and you're ready to grind through the stress. Get in if you can come in part-time with a job behind you, because that financial backing is what keeps you from making desperate decisions when the deals are slow.

And whatever you do, don't quit your job without at least six months of expenses saved. I've said go full-time in the past, but I'm looking out for you right now. Being broke and stressed about money makes this business ten times harder. It's always in the back of your mind, and it shows in every conversation you have.

Who Should Stay Out

If you think real estate is easy money right now, stay out. If it's a quick money grab to you, you'll be part of the 97% by this time next year.

And the job isn't what the videos show you. Touring beautiful houses is a small part of this business. After you've seen a few houses, especially here in Texas, you've seen them all. The real work is prospecting, following up, and staying consistent when nothing's closing.

What to Do Before You Spend a Dollar

Real estate schools are raising prices because of the economy. Don't pay full price. Take your classes online on your own schedule and hunt down a coupon code first. They're always out there.

When you're ready to pick a brokerage, interview more than one. Everybody's pitch sounds the same, and nobody in that chair can tell you whether you'll be successful. And don't just interview brokerages. Interview the teams inside them. If you already know the brokerage you want, compare the teams there and find the environment that fits you. Anybody promising you leads is selling you. If you want a framework for the first stretch of the grind, start with your vision and goals here.

Real Estate Runs in Cycles

You're going to have good years. You're going to have years where you question whether you should even continue. That's not a sign you're failing. That's the business.

If you're in it right now and feeling that, it's perfectly normal. The agents who win are the ones who kept working through the years that made no sense.

The Honest Answer

Should you become a real estate agent in 2026? If it's a passion and you're ready for the tough times, get in. If you're chasing a money grab, don't.

I wrote a whole book about the stuff nobody told me when I started. It's called The Real Before the Estate: What I Wish I Knew Before Selling 100 Homes. It will either fire you up to accept the challenge, or it'll save you thousands of dollars and a year of your life by showing you this business isn't for you. Either way, you win. Grab a free copy here.

Watch the full breakdown on YouTube, and if you still have questions, drop them in the comments. I answer every one.