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Splits and Caps Daily: Action for Agents

November 17, 2025

📈 Market Move:

Housing Market: Loading…

The government turned the lights back on, and the housing market is doing that thing where it stretches, blinks a few times, and tries to remember what day it is.

Here’s the vibe:

For the past few weeks, everything’s been stuck in molasses — delayed closings, agencies backed up, buyers frozen like a Windows 95 boot screen. But now that the shutdown is done, we’re seeing the first little green shoots.

The early signal? Purchase apps jumped 6% last week.
Not earth-shattering, but in a market that’s been half-asleep, that’s basically a double espresso shot.

Economists say the next few weeks will be messy. Agencies are buried in backlogs, consumers are still skittish, and nobody trusts Congress enough to believe this won’t happen again in 90 days. So the recovery won’t be a clean bounce — more like a slow, awkward wobble forward.

But there is a window here:

• Rates are holding around 6.24% — not low, but low enough compared to last year.

• Inventory is up — 6.3% year-over-year, with more new listings trickling in.

• Competition is light — buyers still on the sidelines, sellers more open to concessions.

This creates a weird moment where uncertainty actually works in favor of the bold. Buyers who’ve been waiting might jump now to beat whatever madness 2026 brings. As one mortgage exec put it: “Stay ready. This rate environment is a real window.”

TL;DR:
The market just got rebooted. Apps are up, inventory is improving, rates are steady, and sellers are negotiable. It’s not a boom — it’s a “blink twice and the opportunity window closes” moment.

Agents: this is your chance to nudge clients off the fence. When everyone else is waiting for clarity… you win by moving first.

🌟Quote of the Day:

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’” — Mary Anne Radmacher

📊🤔 Agent Poll Results

On 11/14, we asked: This week’s question is simple, but it cuts deep — like “Do you actually read the MLS notes?” level deep: 👉 What’s the real value you want from NAR right now?

The results are in!

• 🤝 Trust & transparency — “Just tell me what’s going on before CNN does.”: 25%

• 📊 Better data & insights — “Stop giving me vibes. Give me numbers.”: 0%

• 🛡️ Stronger legal protection — “Please defend me so I can stop defending myself.”: 0%

• 🎓 More business tools & training — “Help me win more listings, not more lawsuits.”: 0%

• 💸 Lower dues (lol) — “If the ROI isn’t obvious, the math isn’t mathing.”: 75%

More money, more problems! Figure it out, NAR!

🎉 Fun Fact of the Day: 

Close Quarters: 🧱 The narrowest house in London is 6 feet wide. You can stand in the hallway and touch both walls without stretching. Cozy… or claustrophobic.

📚 Book Recommendation:

“The Art of Negotiation” by Michael Wheeler — Today’s book is one of those “Damn, I wish I read this earlier in my career” gems. It isn’t your typical “say this magic phrase and get what you want” book. Wheeler basically says: Forget the script. The real world doesn’t care about your script.

Negotiation is jazz. It’s improv. It’s reading the room, pivoting fast, and turning chaos into opportunity.

Why this matters for agents:

Real estate is one long negotiation… disguised as a job.
You’re negotiating with buyers, sellers, lenders, inspectors, appraisers, Uncle Larry who “knows a guy,” and your own client’s emotions. Every deal is a moving target.

Wheeler teaches you how to:

• Stay flexible when the deal goes sideways

• Spot hidden leverage when everyone else thinks the deal is dead

• Use uncertainty as fuel instead of fear

• Read people’s intentions faster than they can spin them

My favorite idea from the book:
Negotiation is a process of discovery, not domination.
The goal isn’t to win the argument — it’s to uncover the deal that actually works.

For agents, this is rocket fuel. Imagine being the person in your market who stays calm, adapts instantly, and always finds a path forward while other agents crumble at the inspection report.

That’s what this book teaches.

If you want to level up your persuasion, your deal-making instincts, and the way you navigate conflict… this is your new playbook.

Small wins add up faster than you think.

What did you think of today’s edition?
Hit ‘reply’ to this email and let us know!

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