Agents, It’s Time to Learn the Investor Playbook

By Dan Noma Jr., CEO, Easy Street Offers

Last week, I had the privilege of opening the Blueprint conference at the Venetian in Las Vegas, sharing the stage with some of the largest mortgage servicers and single-family rental (SFR) investors in the country. The conversations were candid, the data was eye-opening, and one theme was clear: agents who want to stay relevant must learn how to work with investors and bring them real value.

Market Signals to Watch

Servicers shared data pointing to stress in the housing market:

• Conventional mortgage balances rose to $12.94 trillion, up from $12.52T a year ago.

• Delinquencies remain steady at 3.9%, while foreclosure rates crept up to 0.48%

• Together, delinquent and foreclosure balances now exceed $570 billion, impacting 2.28 million properties.

FHA borrowers are feeling even greater strain. FHA currently insures 7.5–8 million loans, 12–14% of the single-family market. With minimal down payments and flat price growth, many of these borrowers are underwater or close to negative equity. Their delinquency rates run two to three times higher than conventional loans, particularly in Sunbelt metros like Phoenix, Las Vegas, Houston, and Orlando.

Why It Matters

These conditions point to a growing distressed supply pipeline. Investors see opportunity in acquiring discounted homes and notes and repositioning them as affordable rentals. But not all homeowners are ready or able to sell traditionally. In Maricopa County, nearly 30% of underwater listings were canceled in the last 90 days because sellers could not find buyers at their desired price. Many are holding out for lower interest rates, though the opposite trend may unfold.

At Blueprint, innovative strategies were highlighted that keep sellers in place, preventing foreclosure while still producing investor yield. Agents who understand how to structure these types of deals will stand out as trusted problem-solvers.

How Easy Street Offers Helps

This is exactly the gap Easy Street Offers (ESO) fills. Our platform provides an all-inclusive digital marketplace where agents and investors can connect and transact with transparency, speed, and confidence.

Agents gain access to instant data that helps them identify distressed or investment-ready properties and present offers that fit investor buy-boxes. Investors gain visibility across all channels—MLS, off-market, auctions, and rentals—organized in one place. With ESO, both sides move beyond speculation and into data-driven decision-making that accelerates transactions and reduces risk.

A Call to Action for Agents

For too long, many agents dismissed investors as “low-value” clients. That mindset must change. Investors are preparing to deploy significant capital into Arizona and similar markets, and they will need agents who can speak their language:

• Spot distressed properties early.

• Understand investor acquisition criteria.

• Structure creative offers for struggling homeowners.

By plugging into ESO, agents can immediately meet these needs and create a powerful new value proposition for their business.

Final Thoughts

The next 12 to 24 months may mark one of the most important shifts in our market. Servicers and institutional players are preparing quietly, but those who act now will be ahead of the curve.

As I said on stage in Las Vegas: this is not the time to sit on the sidelines. With Easy Street Offers, agents and investors finally have a single platform to transact faster, smarter, and with more confidence.

See you in the market,

Dan Noma Jr.

CEO, Easy Street Offers