Do We Need More Developers, or More Buyers or Maybe More Sellers?

So a friend then asked me, “Don’t you think the market needs more buyers because I feel like the properties are many and man, it’s getting hard to find?”

An interesting question, right? He continued, “I have so many listings that have stayed on market for more than a year—even rooms for rent. This can’t be good for landlords, so why are people still putting up so many buildings?”

Truth is, I didn’t have a straight answer. I still don’t. But here’s what I shared with him: **it depends**.

In real estate—or legal practice or finance—you’ll hear this phrase thrown around a lot. So what does it really depend on?

The Market and Segment

We all know that the real estate market is not homogenous. Residential is different from industrial, office, and definitely by location. This might actually be the biggest _“depends”_—**the market**.

Basic economics: when there is demand for a product, supply increases. That affects prices and how everyone else behaves. New construction and new buildings coming up indicate rising supply. But demand growth is not always obvious.

People assume that population growth and income growth mean increasing demand, but it’s not always true. If the population increases but most people cannot afford the product, it doesn't translate to real demand.

We debated the need for affordable housing, finance, planning, and even professionalism. What became clear is that **the market wasn’t as bad as it looked**. Other listings were selling. Brokers were earning commissions from other listings.

Ultimately, it all depends on the **specific situation**—and only thorough analysis can reveal the right moves to make.

Sometimes, it’s not about needing more buyers or sellers, but understanding your micro-market, your competition, and what the data is really telling you.