Real Estate Trends Shaping the Industry in 2025

The real estate industry faced some big changes in 2024 and the impacts will continue well into 2025. Faced with a tough market and new rules, many agents are fleeing the field. The National Association of Realtors expects membership to fall by as much as 10% and one widely cited analysis predicts 60% to 80% percent of agents will pursue a new line of work.

However, there is a silver lining for those who remain.

Lower competition means more opportunity to secure larger shares of available clients and listings. But to make the most of the current market, real estate professionals must be prepared to navigate several important trends. Let’s look at them now.

1. Modern Client Experiences

To attract clients in a potentially slower market, agents will need to focus on building trust and fostering strong relationships. This is especially true now that sellers no longer have to offer a buyer’s agent commission, which means the ability to charge competitive rates hinges on your ability to showcase expertise and competence.

One way to do this is by modernizing the experience with a custom-branded client portal.

Here’s why:

Seven in ten homebuyers say they’re frustrated with the current purchase process and 19% are upset with their agents. At the same time, 53% of agents say managing client expectations is their biggest struggle.

Client portals ease a lot of that burden. This software is designed to house all documentation and communication in one central location and will be an important part of strengthening buyer and seller relationships in 2025.

2. Secure File Sharing

Real estate companies house massive amounts of sensitive data, including both financial and personal data, making them a top target for cyber attacks in 2025. And as hackers get more sophisticated, the stakes are higher. Attackers have been known to compromise agent and broker emails, tricking clients into wiring as much as $400,000 to fraudulent criminals. And according to recent FBI data, scams targeting the real estate sector are at an all-time high.

It all adds up to the need for more secure file sharing, particularly when it comes to real estate transactions. In 2025, agents and property managers must pay close attention to the technology they use. Choosing technology with built-in email and file encryption is particularly important, along with additional security measures like user authentication and access controls.

3. Document Workflows

Did you know just 1% of homebuyers have all their documentation in order before starting the buying process? That’s what Adobe discovered when the company surveyed 500+ U.S. realtors. Not surprisingly, 90% of them reported challenges with client documents. They also said a lack of document organization leads to all kinds of difficulties—delayed or stalled transactions, financial losses, unanticipated expenses, missed opportunities, contractual disputes and legal issues.

Amid other industry changes, document workflow management will become increasingly important in 2025. This software makes it easy to capture, index, search, sign and access critical files at every stage, whether you're handling real estate transactions or overseeing property management processes. In many instances, document workflows also automate otherwise time-consuming tasks — another key ingredient to strengthening real estate relationships in 2025.

Related read: Transform your real estate business processes with strategic workflows

Looking Ahead

While these aren’t the only real estate market trends to watch, they’re three of the most important to understand for a successful 2025. Modern client experiences, secure file sharing and document workflows will all play a role in industry professionals’ ability to survive and thrive.

Looking for more tips to get ahead? Download our checklists for enhancing client readiness and conducting a data security audit to test your readiness.