Omaha families feel the pinch as realtors navigate slow market and rising prices

Middle-income families are still stretched, despite slowing inflation.

Commission-based workers like realtors feel the strain most when the market cools.

Housing outlook for 2026 shows promise, with potential price drops and more balanced negotiating power.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

Even as national inflation trends cool, many middle-income families in Omaha say their budgets remain stretched thin — especially for commission-based workers like realtors who depend on steady sales.

Melissa Polendo, a realtor and mom of three, says every dollar in her household “has a job,” and shopping for bargains has become part of daily life.

“As agents, we have to be mindful, and shop and bargain…” she said.

With prices still climbing and fewer buyers entering the market, slow months directly affect h