Real estate is one of the most dynamic, rewarding, and demanding professions out there. The highs of closing a deal, helping clients find their dream homes, or securing the perfect exit from an investment property can be incredibly fulfilling. But the constant hustle, the unpredictability of the market, the emotional rollercoaster of working with clients, and the long hours can also lead to significant stress and burnout.
Bad weather can also have a negative impact on an agent’s psyche exacerbating a work-life imbalance.
According to a new survey from lead-generation tool KeyLeads, about a third of real estate agents find winter to be the most stressful time of the year, and more than half the agents surveyed work more than 40 hours in a typical workweek.
“The real estate industry’s long hours, fluctuating markets, and high pressure often lead to stress and burnout, making work-life balance challenging,” said Cynthia Seifert, founder of KeyLeads. “Our findings show clear differences in stress levels by geography and experience. In the North, 40% of agents find winter the most stressful, likely due to colder weather and slower markets. Meanwhile, 38% of agents in the South report year-round stress, possibly due to more consistent market activity.”
Vincent Anzalone, broker and team leader of Real Estate Sherpa in Chicago, agrees that closing deals in the north has its challenges.
“It’s down to single digits this week, so that freezes everything,” he said recently. “The sun’s out but it’s zero degrees.”
However, the winter often presents more challenges than just the thermostat.
“In Q4, the slower pace due to tax planning and holidays provides a chance to rest but also creates financial stress, especially for commission-based real estate agents who may worry about meeting annual targets,” Seifert said. “This can potentially create stress during what should be a time to recharge.”
Slow business is often the biggest cause of stress for Anzalone’s team, especially among younger agents who are eager to develop their pipelines and make a sustainable living for the first time. When the market picks back up in Q1, it can be quite a shot of adrenaline, and agents need to be prepared for the spike in activity.
For Anzalone, a slower market is definitely more stressful than a faster one, but being busy has its own anxiety because he doesn’t want to be distracted to the point where he misses new opportunities.
Another factor is that the real estate buying season, which used to start after the Super Bowl, has been picking up in most markets earlier and earlier each year regardless of the weather. Anzalone said the new busy season begins right after New Year’s Day, leaving little time to prepare for the onslaught of activity. In January, his team closed more deals than in November and December – combined.
“The earlier Q1 buying season is driven by buyers eager to beat the competition and rising interest rates. This boosts momentum for real estate agents after a slow winter but offers little time for recovery,” Seifert said. “Many agents may feel they are on constantly, with no time to recharge, which can lead to burnout.”
Ideally, agents may benefit from a steadily paced flow of market activity, but such a perfect balance rarely occurs and is unrealistic to expect. But Anzalone notes that there are moments in the winter that can bring calm to an otherwise busy or slow market. Ironically, that typically comes with cold temperatures.
“What’s nice about selling in the cold is that people don’t want to see as many places,” Anzalone said. “They may make a decision quicker, and that’s good for everybody.”
Ultimately, stress will come and go all year long. In the winter it can be more pronounced in colder regions, but seasons will affect every agent differently depending on their individual tolerance for being overwhelmed when it’s too busy versus being concerned about making a living when it’s slow.
“Being a real estate agent is a stressful job in any season!” said Andrea Wernick of Coldwell Banker Warburg in New York City. “In the winter, it’s stressful because sales are slower. Agents are stressed over income and job stability during that season. In the spring, summer, and fall agents are stressed because they’re working longer hours meeting clients’ demands and successfully closing their deals.”
High-maintenance clients were another major source of stress found in the KeyLeads survey with one of every five agents reporting that they have to work overtime to accommodate time-consuming buyers and sellers. When a client asks an inordinate number of questions about a property, though, Anzalone finds that it generally means that client will pull the trigger on the home, which is much preferable than an unengaged client who never makes it to the closing.
While Anzalone prefers to be available for his clients all the time, he said boundaries can be helpful as well because most issues can wait until the next day. The key is to have the confidence to push back and maintain a work-life balance, especially if a client is calling with routine questions late at night, he said.
That confidence may take time to develop. For less experienced agents, the tension from pushing back against a high-maintenance client could cause more anxiety than just giving them additional hours of their personal time. KeyLeads’ survey supports this dynamic with fewer experienced agents needing to take time off to manage stress compared to their less experienced counterparts.
“Nearly a quarter of first-year agents and over a third of those with two-five years of experience have taken a day off due to stress. For agents with six-10 years in the industry, two in five have taken a full week off,” Seifert said. “However, those with 15-25 years or more are less likely to take time off, possibly due to stigma around mental health or greater adaptation to industry demands.”
For those who are in search of the ever-elusive work-life balance, Wernick recommends several strategies that can boost an agent’s mental health particularly when the temperature drops and the market freezes.
“One huge one that I follow is to set aside savings when business is busy so I have enough for the winter season. That lowers my stress level when I am not busy with sales,” Wernick said. “Another one that I frequently use is when I’m very, very busy I take time out … to spend time with friends and family, go to the museum or the theatre. I believe you should always have a playtime or relaxed time and not a work time. That helps me relax and not stress out!”
Social interaction can be helpful as well. Seifert emphasized the need for young agents to forge strong relationships with a mentor who can help them navigate the ebbs and flows of a full real estate cycle.
“Maintaining healthy routines, like exercise, mindfulness, and journaling, helps manage stress while scheduling breaks and vacations during slow seasons ensures real estate agents can recharge for busier times,” Seifert said.
Since so much of an agents’ day-to-day activity can be beyond their control, it’s crucial to manage the little time that you can control. Seifert notes that technology can be very helpful here as many tasks can either be automated or done more efficiently through virtual mediums. From digital calendaring and scheduling software to CRMs and commission calculators, the industry has adopted many helpful solutions to reduce the administrative burdens on agents.
In addition to utilizing technology, Wernick noted that the best thing an agent can do to support their mental health might be to prioritize their physical well-being.
“The most important practice that I truly believe in is the concept of keep on moving,” Wernick said. “Moving my body, either by just walking, lifting weights, or yoga … is really the key to alleviating stress for everyone!”
