45元看房一小时，楼市“群演”背后老板竟然是他

Core Viewpoint - The real estate agency industry is undergoing significant changes, with some agents resorting to hiring "actors" to pose as homebuyers in order to meet performance metrics and cope with declining demand [1][12]. Group 1: Industry Changes - The phenomenon of hiring individuals to view properties reflects a dramatic shift in the real estate market, where agents face increasing pressure due to a reversal in supply and demand dynamics [1][12]. - The number of real estate agencies and agents has surged over the years, with statistics showing a growth from 3.4 million agencies and 374,000 agents in 2008 to 206,000 agencies and 1.583 million agents by 2018 [15]. - The average number of transactions per agent has significantly decreased, with agents in major cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen averaging only 1.8 to 2.5 transactions per year [16][17]. Group 2: Agent Experiences - Agents like Liu Qian report that they have no base salary and rely solely on commissions, leading to financial strain and the need to hire others to meet viewing quotas [6][18]. - The pressure to meet viewing targets has intensified, with agents facing penalties such as longer working hours if they fail to meet these metrics [6][12]. - A survey indicates that only 41.4% of agents have a base salary, with many earning as little as 2,000 to 3,000 yuan per month, highlighting the financial challenges faced by agents in the current market [18][19]. Group 3: Hiring Practices - The practice of hiring individuals to pose as buyers has become more common, with reports of agents paying between 35 to 60 yuan per hour for this service [8][10]. - In local running groups, there has been a noticeable increase in demand for individuals to "pretend" to view properties, with nearly 60 requests for such services posted in a single month [8][9]. - Some agents express disbelief at the absurdity of hiring people to view high-value properties, yet they feel compelled to do so to maintain their performance metrics [10][11].