Last updated: November 2026
By Dustin Randall Olson, Coach DO
Key takeaways
- The typical seller stayed in their home a record 12 years before selling, per NAR’s 2026 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, released November 5, 2026.
- First-time buyers made up 22% of purchases, and their median age held at a record 40, per the same NAR report.
- 92% of sellers used an agent, an all-time high, and only 5% of sales were FSBO, tying the record low, per NAR (November 2026).
- 88% of buyers said they would use their agent again or recommend them, per NAR’s 2026 Profile.
- Coach DO’s take: a 12-year move cycle pays the agent who still shows up in year seven.
What the NAR 2026 Profile says about your next listing
The NAR 2026 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers came out on November 5, 2026. One number in it should change how you plan 2027. The typical seller stayed put for 12 years before selling, an all-time high.
The survey covers primary-residence purchases from July 2025 to June 2026. NAR sent it to 228,250 recent buyers and got 7,125 usable responses, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.16 points.
Twelve years is a long time to stay memorable. The client you closed this year may not list again until 2038. Staying in touch that long takes a system, because good intentions fade by year three.
The numbers agents should know
| Finding | NAR 2026 Profile |
|---|---|
| Median years sellers stayed in the home | 12 (record high) |
| Sellers who used an agent | 92% (record high) |
| Buyers who used an agent | 90% (highest in four decades) |
| FSBO share of sales | 5% (ties record low) |
| Buyers who would use their agent again or recommend them | 88% |
| First-time buyer share of purchases | 22% |
| Median age, first-time buyers | 40 (ties record high) |
| Median age, repeat buyers | 62 (ties record high) |
| Buyers who bought a multigenerational home | 14% |
Good news, with a catch
Consumers still want an agent. 90% of buyers used one, the highest share in four decades, according to NAR’s top 10 takeaways. Sellers set a record at 92%.
The catch sits inside that 88%. Telling you at the closing table that they’d use you again is easy. Remembering your name 12 years later is harder.
Here’s a clue from the same report. Among the few sellers who skipped an agent, 62% already knew their buyer. Relationships move houses. A database plan built for a two-year cycle runs out of gas long before your client is ready to move again.
Plan your database around a 12-year move cycle
Three habits carry most of the load.
Count your touches across the whole cycle
Reach a past client once a month and you’ll have 144 touches before a typical seller lists again. Most of them should give something: a local market update, a home value check, an invite to a community event, a call on their closing anniversary. Keep the sales asks rare.
Track the life events behind a move
NAR’s data shows why people move. The top reason sellers gave was moving closer to friends and family, at 22%. Another 14% of buyers bought a multigenerational home, mostly to care for aging parents, keep young adults at home, or save money.
Those are life changes. A new grandchild, a parent who needs help, a grown kid moving back home. Write them in your CRM notes when clients mention them, and the moving conversation starts on its own.
Know both generations in each household
Repeat buyers had a median age of 62. First-time buyers waited until 40, and a record 10% of them paid all cash. Of those all-cash first-time buyers, 28% used an inheritance, per NAR.
Your sphere is getting older, and their kids are buying later, often with family help. When you know the parents and the adult children, you’re in position for both transactions.
Put the 12-year math in your 2027 business plan
Say your database holds 200 past clients and sphere households. If each one moves about once every 12 years, roughly 17 of them will buy or sell in a given year. That’s a rough estimate, and your market and your list will differ.
Next question: how many of those 17 call you? Your follow-up decides that, and you’re the only one who controls it.
Block the touch plan on your calendar before January. The free 2027 Business Plan Kit walks you through the numbers. For help building the system, see database and sphere of influence coaching, or the calendar side in business planning and time management coaching.
Make sure they can find you when year 12 arrives
When a past client finally decides to move, many will Google your name or ask an AI tool before they pick up the phone. Give them a profile that matches the agent they remember: fresh reviews, current photos, and the same name, phone, and website everywhere they look.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NAR 2026 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers?
It’s NAR’s yearly survey of recent primary-residence buyers and sellers. The 2026 edition came out November 5, 2026, and covers purchases from July 2025 to June 2026.
How long do sellers stay in their homes in 2026?
The median seller stayed 12 years before selling, an all-time high, per the NAR 2026 Profile.
What share of first-time buyers paid all cash?
A record 10% of first-time buyers paid all cash, per NAR’s 2026 Profile. 28% of those cash buyers used an inheritance.
How often should I contact past clients?
Monthly is a workable starting point for most agents, with value-first touches and a personal call on key dates. Fit the rhythm to your business plan, then keep it going for the full cycle.
Want to know whether past clients can find you when they’re ready to move? Start with a free 100-point Google + AI audit.
About the author: Dustin Randall Olson (Coach DO) is a triple certified business coach, fifth generation real estate professional, and founder of Coach DO, LLC. He created GAS Engine Optimization and the PAWN+ identity framework, which help real estate agents across the United States and Canada get found on Google and recommended by AI search. He coaches the whole person, not just the business, from his home base in Franklin, Tennessee.