The National Association of Realtors has pushed back against a viral claim that 71% of its members completed zero deals last year. The trade group stated the figure does not originate from its data and pointed to its own 2026 member profile as a more accurate benchmark.
According to NAR's latest member survey, just 6% of individual agents and 2% of teams reported having zero transactions. The association framed these numbers as evidence that the vast majority of its 1.5 million members remain active in the market.
The viral statistic, widely circulated on social media, appears to have been misinterpreted or misattributed, though its original source remains unclear. NAR did not provide an alternative explanation for how the 71% figure was derived.
Real estate professionals and industry analysts have noted that low-volume agents are a persistent segment of the market, but the scale suggested by the viral claim would represent an unprecedented shakeout. The actual share of zero-deal agents in NAR's data is far smaller.
Critics, however, caution that NAR's 2026 member profile may undercount agents who left the industry mid-year or failed to renew, since the survey typically captures those still active. The discrepancy highlights ongoing debate about agent attrition rates in a high-interest-rate environment.