Closing the Year Strong: Key Market Insights and Strategies for Success in 2025
December 27, 2024
In 2024, real estate professionals faced a dynamic year filled with fluctuating interest rates and evolving buyer preferences that reshaped the housing market. Looking ahead, 2025 promises to bring its own set of possible changes and innovations. Now is the perfect time to prepare, set goals, and leverage the tools and insights available to ensure continued success in the year ahead.
Reflecting on 2024: Key Trends Shaping the Market
Economic shifts and consumer behaviors shaped the real estate landscape in 2024. According to U.S. News, the housing market demonstrated resilience despite fluctuating mortgage rates and inventory challenges. Key trends included:
• Increased Demand for Affordable Housing: Buyers gravitated toward more affordable markets as higher interest rates impacted purchasing power.
• Emphasis on Sustainability: Green features became a priority for buyers, reflecting broader environmental consciousness.
• Tech Adoption: Virtual tours, AI-powered property matching, and digital transaction tools gained traction. In fact, 47% of real estate firms reported that keeping up with technology was one of their biggest challenges, underscoring the rapid adoption of digital tools to stay competitive (CertifID).
What to Expect in 2025
Looking forward, industry experts anticipate several trends to prepare for:
1. Moderation in Housing Prices: As noted by Bankrate, home prices are expected to stabilize in 2025, with growth rates slowing to around 3% annually. This moderation creates opportunities for both buyers and sellers to navigate a more predictable market environment.
2. Continued Growth in Secondary Markets: Cities outside traditional urban hubs will remain attractive, driven by remote work and lifestyle shifts.
3. Focus on Mental Resilience: Success depends not only on market knowledge but also on mindset, as highlighted by HousingWire.
With these trends in mind, let's highlight strategies agents can position themselves for success in the coming year.
Possible Strategies for Success in 2025
To thrive in the evolving market, agents must approach 2025 with clear goals, actionable strategies, and the right tools. Here’s how:
1. Define SMART Business Goals
Start with specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives. Well-defined goals provide direction and focus, helping you turn aspirations into actionable plans. For example, instead of saying, "I want to grow my business," set a SMART goal like, "I will increase my transaction volume by X% by Q3 of 2025 by focusing on secondary markets." This approach ensures clarity and keeps you on track to achieve tangible results.
2. Leverage Market Data
Market insights are essential for staying ahead. Use resources like Stellar MLS’s Market Reports
to identify trends, understand buyer and seller behaviors, and guide your customers with confidence.
3. Embrace Technology
Digital tools are no longer optional—they’re a necessity. Stellar MLS offers an extensive suite of products designed to enhance every stage of the transaction process, from lead generation to closing. With over 30 tools included in your subscription, you have everything you need to streamline your business and deliver exceptional service.
4. Prioritize Client Relationships
As Luxury Presence
emphasizes, building trust and rapport with customers is critical. Use Stellar MLS’s tools to personalize your approach, whether through targeted market insights or tailored property searches. TIP: Set reminders in your CRM to follow up with past clients on key anniversaries or milestones—it’s a simple way to nurture long-term relationships.
Why Choosing Stellar MLS Empowers Your Real Estate Business
Stellar MLS is much more than a technology provider—we’re your partner in success. Our commitment to delivering accurate data, exceptional service, and innovative solutions ensures you’re equipped to navigate the complexities of the real estate market.
How Stellar MLS Supports Your Growth, Including:
• Unmatched Data Integrity: Confidently guide your customers with reliable, accurate market information.
• Comprehensive Tools: Access an unparalleled array of resources, from prospecting tools to post-close solutions.
• Exceptional Support: Our bilingual support team is here to assist you six days a week, ensuring you get the most from your subscription.
Closing the Year Strong
Before turning the page to 2025, reflect on your 2024 wins and challenges, and use these lessons to fuel your new strategies. Celebrate your achievements and embrace the lessons learned. Use these insights to set ambitious yet attainable goals that align with your vision. With the tools, support, and expertise offered by Stellar MLS, you’re not just prepared to navigate an ever-changing market—you’re positioned to thrive in it. Together, let’s make 2025 a year of new heights and bold successes.
Sources:
More News
As real estate business models continue to evolve, building your business by providing more robust customer value takes a collaborative and forward-thinking approach. As real estate professionals work to meet the needs of buyers and sellers embarking on the most important transaction of their life, Stellar MLS is doubling down in its commitment to arm its customers with an array of tools and insights. Leading the way in market innovation Consistently innovating to provide products that revolutionize real estate, Stellar MLS does not simply deliver information; it drills down to deliver insights, offering the most effective tools to help customers save time and increase efficiency. Products like TransactionDesk simplify day-to-day routines, reducing stress and freeing up valuable time for agents and brokers to focus on their customers and clients. Tools such as this are deeply embedded in our ecosystem to give brokers and agents a streamlined, secure and compliant way to manage every stage of every transaction. Helping brokers guide agents to success One of Stellar MLS’ Always Principles is that we succeed when brokers do. Rayse—one of our newest products—helps brokers empower their agents with features like Buyer Presentation, turning initial consultations into structured, high-impact experiences while outlining the agent’s role and value at each stage. At the same time, Client Portal tools provide comparisons and tour feedback, helping buyers stay informed without feeling overwhelmed. Agents can also leverage Realist—a public records database that provides property and ownership data, market information, street and aerial maps, and market trends. This layered, behind-the-scenes data allows agents to give their customers a full picture, whether they’re evaluating a listing price or researching market opportunities. Providing trend analysis and local insights The Stellar Market Meter, our quarterly statistics report, provides an in-depth analysis of critical trends and developments in our coverage area and beyond—and an invaluable aid to busy agents. Economist Dr. Elliot Eisenberg provides expert commentary and data-driven insights designed to assist in making informed decisions, anticipating future trends and understanding the market’s evolving landscape. Further, Stellar’s Matrix tool lets agents and brokers filter listings by specific criteria such as subdivisions, green fields and water views. This enhanced search experience empowers real estate professionals to build deeper connections with consumers, because it’s not just about finding a property, it’s about helping people discover the place they truly belong. A pathway to prosperity Stellar MLS is dedicated to being the Multiple Listing Service for real estate professionals who value clarity, stability and support. Our mantra, “We’re for You,” is at the core of our brand promise and our mission—the same promise of better, more local and more valuable insights that top agents deliver daily to their clients. That’s why we continue to invest in the resources that fuel your business by transforming complex market data into clear, usable insights. Join us in the mission to focus on what’s next and take your business to the next level by maximizing your value to your customers. Read more by Shayne at https://www.rismedia.com/bylines/shayne-fairley/ .
In today’s real estate landscape, opportunity knows no boundaries. Teams are expanding, business is becoming more mobile than ever, and clients expect seamless service—regardless of location. Stellar MLS recognizes the need to empower its brokers and their agents to adapt to the pace of today’s market and continues to provide the resources they need to stay ahead in a rapidly changing market. Real estate professionals rely on market intel to make informed decisions and confidently guide clients through one of life’s biggest milestones. Whether it’s leveraged to analyze trends, expand business referrals to new territories or guide relocating customers, the ability to view comprehensive listing data across the country is a significant strategic advantage. Stellar MLS is committed not only to delivering powerful listing insights, but also to offering expansive market coverage. In line with this mission, Stellar MLS recently formed strategic partnerships with California Regional MLS and Bright MLS. Through these new partnerships among the three largest MLSs in the country, Stellar MLS customers now have access to listings across California and the Mid-Atlantic, directly within Matrix. No extra logins needed. This integration means agents and brokers have access to thousands of additional listings, without leaving Matrix, opening the door to broader and more integrated business opportunities. This collaboration comes at a pivotal time. Cross-country relocation is on the rise, driven by changing lifestyle preferences and work environments, and increasing interconnectivity. Clients—buyers or sellers—are no longer tethered to a single market; they’re exploring possibilities from east to west. Agents equipped with real-time, accurate data across geographies can stand out by delivering unmatched service and guidance. Still, access alone is not enough; it must be paired with efficiency and accuracy. Stellar MLS remains committed to ensuring that its customers thrive in an intuitive environment. Bringing the reciprocal MLS access partnerships into the Stellar MLS system means agents and brokers can research, plan and serve clients without juggling multiple platforms or logging into separate systems. That’s time saved and real value gained. And this is just the beginning. As we look to the future, Stellar MLS will continue building relationships and investing in data connectivity to meet the demands of an interconnected market. Our goal remains clear: to provide our customers with the tools, insights and access they need to compete and thrive, no matter where their business takes them. In a business defined by relationships, readiness and reach, knowledge and confidence are power. We believe that when agents are connected to the right data and market access, they will have the confidence and clarity to succeed. Read More by Merri Jo at https://www.rismedia.com/bylines/merri-jo-cowen/ .
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. (July 31, 2025) —After more than 15 years of visionary leadership, Merri Jo Cowen, CEO of Stellar MLS, announced she will step down from her role in Q1 2026. Her successor will be Stellar MLS’s current Chief Operations Officer, Shayne Fairley, who for nearly two decades has been an integral part of the leadership team at one of the nation’s largest and most influential multiple listing services. Widely recognized as a thought leader and trailblazer in the real estate industry, Cowen has led Stellar MLS since 2008, guiding it through a period of transformational growth and modernization. Under her leadership, the organization expanded its customer base to become the largest MLS in Florida and Puerto Rico. This growth strengthened shareholder relationships, launched international partnerships, and solidified Stellar MLS’s position as a national and global leader in data transparency and collaboration. Cowen played a pivotal role in the MLS’s rebranding in 2019 and helped elevate the visibility and value of the MLS during a time of industry change. “Serving as CEO of Stellar MLS has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” said Cowen. “I’m incredibly proud of what we have built—an MLS that delivers value, innovation, and integrity to real estate professionals and the consumers they serve. Now, I’m ready to step back, and Shayne is more than ready to step forward. I truly cannot imagine leaving what we’ve built in better hands. Shayne knows Stellar MLS inside and out, and I have complete trust in his leadership and absolute confidence that he’ll take this organization to the next level.” Fairley joined Stellar MLS in 2005 and has risen through the ranks across multiple departments, training customers and staff, guiding compliance, advancing data services, and advising on operations, to name a few. Since being named COO in 2017, he has led strategic operational growth, championed customer-focused initiatives, and worked with Cowen on the company’s efforts to elevate the MLS on a global scale. “I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Merri Jo for nearly 20 years and learned a tremendous amount by watching how she leads, both strategically and personally. She leads with vision and heart, and that blend of high-level leadership and genuine care is part of what makes Stellar successful and is something I intend to carry forward,” said Fairley. What’s Next: A Seamless Transition Stellar MLS’s leadership transition will take place over the coming months, with Cowen working closely with Fairley to ensure a smooth and seamless handoff. The official transition is expected to be completed by Q1 2026 and throughout this period, both leaders will continue to collaborate on strategic initiatives and ongoing projects. After the leadership transition, Cowen will serve in a strategic advisory role at Stellar MLS while also leading its subsidiary Universal Consulting Opportunities (UCO), which supports real estate professionals worldwide. Launched in 2024 with Cowen as CEO, UCO-Global provides expertise and customized solutions to advance MLS practices globally, with a focus on transparency, data integrity, and modernized market infrastructure. Through strategic partnerships with international organizations such as CEPI (the European Association of Real Estate Professions) and FIABCI (the International Real Estate Federation), and alongside dedicated global partners who share UCO-Global’s mission to empower real estate markets worldwide, UCO-Global has helped foster collaboration and trust across the real estate industry in Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia. “Our priorities remain the same—delivering exceptional value to our customers, championing innovation, and helping shape the future of the real estate industry both at home and around the world,” said Fairley. About Stellar MLS Stellar MLS is the multiple listing service for real estate professionals who value clarity, stability, and support in a real estate market and industry defined by change. As the largest multiple listing service in the state of Florida and among the largest and most influential in the U.S., Stellar MLS serves over 84,000 customers and supports real estate agents and brokers across 21 REALTOR® associations in Central and Southwest Florida and Puerto Rico. Its extensive footprint allows Stellar MLS to deliver a broader suite of cutting-edge products and services, and more opportunities for customers to do business than almost any other MLS. Stellar MLS creates conditions within which real estate professionals can succeed, the housing market can thrive, and people who seek homeownership have every opportunity to achieve it.
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UCO-Global, a Stellar MLS subsidiary, continues to support and provide guidance to international leaders in creating MLS-informed solutions rooted in transparency, collaboration, and trust
You’re at the starting gate. The crowd is buzzing. The sun is high, and your pulse races with anticipation. You’re not just here to run. You’re here to win. That’s what the right training does. It transforms potential into performance. And at Stellar MLS, we believe you deserve every advantage on the track to success. The Race Begins: Why Training Matters Now More Than Ever Real estate is an industry in constant motion. Markets shift. Technology advances. Consumers demand more. The agents who thrive are the ones who adapt, grow, and lead. Education is what sets them apart. Stellar MLS’s enhanced continuing education experience is designed to help you do exactly that. Not just to learn, but to grow into the most credible, confident, and capable version of yourself. What sets this training apart? It’s not just another class; it’s part of a best-in-class education program. Our training is consistently built with your evolving needs at the center, offering hands-on guidance that reflects the realities of today’s fast-moving market. Across the industry, Stellar’s approach to education stands out. With a foundation in practical tools, expert instruction, and a commitment to agent success, our training doesn’t just inform, it transforms. And that’s what makes it a true differentiator. Because you’re not here to be average. You’re here to lead. Introducing the OneHome Triple Crown Series To help you take the lead, we’ve launched a game-changing training series inspired by one of the most iconic competitions in racing history: the OneHome Triple Crown Series. This is a three-part training series focused on helping you sharpen your collaboration skills, streamline your tools, and stand out in your market. Complete all three courses by May 23, 2025, to earn the Triple Crown OneHome Winner Badge Automatic entry into a drawing to win a free one-year Stellar MLS subscription Each course is designed to help you master a different component of the OneHome ecosystem: Course 1: Staging Your Buyers' OneHome Experience Learn how to use the Agent Portal to manage multiple clients efficiently Customize listings using Agent Picks and Discards Track customer activity and keep them engaged Deliver a fully branded, professional experience from start to finish Course 2: Bringing Your Customer Home Guide your clients using OneHome’s interactive tools Help them compare listings, request tours, and provide feedback Offer powerful presentation materials that highlight your value Keep clients informed and confident every step of the way Course 3: Matrix, Prospects CRM, and OneHome Understand how all three tools work together seamlessly Automate follow-ups and manage your contacts with ease Get a 360-degree view of your client’s journey Build stronger relationships that last beyond the transaction Courses will be offered twice weekly throughout May, including convenient Wednesday evening sessions. You can take each course individually, but all three must be completed by May 23 to earn your badge and enter the drawing. Training Is Your Superpower This isn’t just about a badge. This is about elevating your career. In today’s market, your knowledge is your advantage. When customers trust your expertise, they naturally follow your lead. The right MLS training gives you the tools to: Position yourself as a local expert Respond to market shifts with agility and accuracy Offer personalized, tech-forward service Win trust and stand out from the crowd With every training you complete, you’re sharpening your edge. You’re showing to customers that you're not just participating in real estate, you're excelling. We’re For You At Stellar MLS, everything we do is designed around your success. Our promise is clear: We create conditions for you to thrive. From top-tier tools and data to world-class support and training, we’re not just a service provider. We’re your partner. Our job is to help you do your job better. And our education program is one more way we’re doing just that. You can count on us for clarity, confidence, and a culture of support. Ready to Claim Your Crown? This is your chance to invest in yourself, stand out in your market, and potentially win a full year of MLS service on us. To qualify: You must complete all three courses You cannot miss more than five minutes of any session All training must be completed by May 23, 2025 Note: Finishers will be automatically entered into the grand prize drawing for a one-year Stellar MLS subscription reimbursement for the 2025 billing season. Choose your course times, stay on pace, and cross the finish line strong. The Triple Crown badge, bragging rights, and your shot at a free year of service are all within reach. This is your run for the roses. We’ll see you at the winner’s circle! Learn more and register for the 2025 OneHome Triple Crown Series here .
