A House speeding downwards with graph arrows towards a realtor
As home sales slow down and inventory gets tighter, real-estate agents are about to find out who's in it for the long haul and who will get washed out.

Many won't survive the housing crunch

When Chrystina Arnold closed her first sale as a real-estate agent in December, she hoped it would provide a springboard to more deals and the start of a promising career. But almost four months later, Arnold is still trying to close a second sale.

Arnold, who lives in Port Huron, Michigan, paid $89 in October 2021 for a self-paced online course to become a real-estate agent. But by the time she got her license, in June, the typical mortgage rate had nearly doubled, leading to a dramatic slowdown in buying activity.