Clever Offers: 40% of Home Buyers, Sellers Fear Real Estate Market Crash in 2026

40% of Americans planning to buy or sell a home in 2026 say they worry about a potential real estate market crash, while 98% expect challenges when buying or selling next year, according to Clever Offers, St. Louis.

In a new report, Clever Offers, a subsidiary of Clever Real Estate, found that just 40% of buyers and sellers believe the U.S. economy is heading in the right direction, while 40% expect the economy to worsen in 2026.

More than half–55%–foresee a recession or economic depression, and 93% anticipate challenges to their financial stability, with inflation and rising costs cited as the top concern (33%).

Amid financial pressures, nearly half of those who plan to sell a house in 2026–45%–are considering selling without a real estate agent, up from 33% who considered it last year.

Overall, 55% of buyers and sellers expect home prices to rise in 2026, compared to 42% of agents. The percentage of agents (30%) who expect home prices to fall in 2026 is nearly double the 16% of buyers and sellers who expect a decline.

“Still, all groups remain broadly optimistic,” the report noted. Nearly three-quarters of buyers and sellers think 2026 will be a good time to buy (73%) and sell (72%), with agents expressing similar optimism for both buying (77%) and selling (75%).

Expectations for overall market conditions vary, with 42% of buyers and sellers predicting a buyer’s market, 34% a seller’s market, and 23% a balanced one. Agents echo that sentiment, with 48% expecting a buyer’s market, 28% a seller’s market, and 24% a balanced market.

Although a majority of real estate agents (51%) think 2026 will be better for the real estate market than 2025, a full 96% said they anticipate challenges ahead.