If you are feeling the pinch as a New Zealand real estate agent, you are not alone. Timing and market cycles have thrown up three brutal periods over the last two decades: the 2008–2012 liquidity crash, the pandemic years 2020–2023, and the uncertain landscape from 2024 onwards. Accepting that reality is the first step. The next step is practical, deliberate action to keep your professional momentum alive and to prepare for the rebound. The blunt reason you might be hurting: timing Property markets move in cycles. Sometimes the cycle favours agents and listings flow; sometimes it favours buyers or capital preservation. These swings are not personal failures. They are systemic events that affect nearly everyone in the industry. Recognising that timing—not competence—is often the root cause of losing momentum allows you to plan instead of panic. Recent cycles to note 2008–2012: global liquidity and property price corrections. 2020–2023: pandemic disruption th...