Massachusetts residential real estate has become a game of survival

"Agents who have gotten into the business (recently) have never seen anything like this market now," Rosseland said, noting there's been a 30 to 40 percent decrease in the number of agents versus two years ago in some places. Particularly hard hit, according to Rosseland, are newer agents. Peter Certo, manager at Keller Williams Realty in Worcester, said the median wage for agents is being held back by agents who fail to adapt to the current residential market or who aren't being pushed to produce. Instead, some of those agents find themselves competing with, or ignored by, independent brokers who are selling just to keep the office doors open, Certo said.