Sunday Buyer & Seller Report: 2025 Aviation Real Estate — More Choices, Sharper Negotiations, and Smarter Marketing
- Aviation Real Estate Magazine
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
By Erik McCormick, Publisher – Aviation Real Estate Magazine
The 2025 aviation real estate market has entered a refreshing new flight path. Buyers now have five times more properties to choose from than last year, and pilot demand remains steady. That means negotiations are more dynamic, airpark listings are buzzing, and smart sellers are innovating.
“Buyers haven’t disappeared,” says Erik McCormick, publisher of Aviation Real Estate Magazine. “They simply have more runways to land on. With today’s expanded inventory, buyers can be selective, negotiate strategically, and still find their dream airpark home.”
With that freedom also comes balance: sellers must communicate value through professionalism, expertise, and proper aviation exposure. The days of quick, easy listings have evolved into an era of marketing precision
Rule Change Radar: The NAR Shift and the 3% Question
Since August 2024, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has formally changed how agents handle commissions under nationwide settlement guidelines. The old standard of automatically publishing a 3% seller-paid buyer-broker commission in the MLS has ended.
Now, every buyer must enter a written buyer-broker agreement outlining representation and compensation. Options include:
Full Representation: Hire a dedicated aviation real estate professional to represent your interests directly.
Seller Contribution: Negotiate for the seller to pay or credit your agent’s commission.
Self-Representation: Work directly with the listing broker – but accept the full risk and responsibility yourself.
“This system gives buyers flexibility,” McCormick explains, “but it requires clarity. Representation isn’t implied anymore — it’s intentional.
Lead Diversion Websites: Protecting Pilot Buyers
The digital side of the market is booming — but not always safely. Lead diversion websites, once a mainstream real estate concern, have now infiltrated the aviation property niche.
These platforms appear to host legitimate listings, but their primary goal is data capture, not connection. When a buyer clicks “Contact Agent,” their inquiry is quietly rerouted to a completely different broker or referral center. That person immediately calls, pushing a buyer’s contract — often without knowing the first thing about aviation or the property itself.
“The aviation community is built on honesty,” McCormick says. “When websites intercept leads, pilots lose trust, time, and guidance. Always verify that you’re talking directly to the actual listing broker — not a referral middleman.”
Smart Sellers Advertise Where Pilots Fly
“Selling Aviation Real Estate is Truly Unique"
Rising inventory means sellers can’t rely on generic exposure. The most successful sellers are partnering with aviation real estate specialists who invest in pilot-focused advertising — reaching buyers who truly belong in airpark communities.
“Too many general agents still advise $50,000 or even $100,000 price cuts when there’s been no real marketing effort to reach pilot buyers,” McCormick says. “Dropping the price doesn’t bring in the right buyer. Investing in targeted aviation advertising does.”
The impact of skipping pilot marketing goes beyond profit — it affects the very identity of aviation communities. When hangar homes are bought by non-pilots, those buyers may not vote for runway maintenance, support aviation events, or contribute to airport operations.
Over time, that shift can erode the values and amenities that define airpark living. “Pilot buyers keep aviation alive,” McCormick emphasizes. “Their participation in community decisions, volunteer programs, and property management preserves both value and culture.”
Aviation advertising isn’t an expense — it’s preservation. Top-performing specialists reach pilots through multiple channels:
Airshow Outreach: Sun ’n Fun, AirVenture Oshkosh, and major fly-ins nationwide.
Aviation Media: Aviation Real Estate Magazine and AviationRealEstate.com, collectively reaching over 40,000 verified pilots and professionals.
Local Pilot Community
Final Approach - BUY THE HANGAR HOME!
The skies of aviation real estate are bright — wide‑open inventory, strong pilot demand, and an evolving framework that gives both buyers and sellers more control than ever before.
