The statisticians are at it again . . . giving anyone looking for another reason to FREAK OUT something to chew on.
Read it and FREAK!
The sky really IS falling if you are a REALTOR and there’s NOTHING you can do about it – DOOM AND GLOOM are bearing down on us like a pack of tornadoes.
This – From this week’s TAR Digest:
“3. REALTOR Numbers Expected To Fall Further
The National Association of REALTORS reports a 25 percent drop in the number of property agents and brokers and a 33 percent decrease in home sales over the past five years.
NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said at the group’s recent annual meeting in New Orleans that gross commission has fallen 50 percent over the same period. HomeServices of America Inc. Chairman Ron Peltier said the number of brokers nationwide is too high and that the ranks of Realtors will continue to fall. NAR’s membership has risen to approximately 1.1 million from 800,000 a decade ago, and Peltier said the right number of agents to meet the needs of the market is about 750,000.
With no signs of a market recovery, Realogy Franchise Real Estate Group CEO Alex Perriello said agents must strategize how to grow their market share and survive in a down market. Most firms are growing through mergers and acquisitions, he noted, and agents are working harder for less money.”
Why the heck would you POSSIBLY want to stay in this business and make 1/2 the money working twice as hard with a draconian prognosis of terminal occupational disease?
There are @ 350,000 more agents than the market needs.
and just in case you haven’t noticed, it hasn’t gotten any easier to move about the marketplace and get deals to the closing table . . . and probably won’t any time soon.
The banks seem to be behaving as if they don’t want to lend money. Is it because they are scared . . . or greedy? Are they holding back because rates are so low and risk so inherently high that they don’t see the benefit (profit margins are slim)?
FOOLISH!
There IS a silver lining in this dark cloud, and I see it unfolding more every day. Humanity must step in and solve this mess we created the good old fashioned way.
It’s time for people to talk to people. More solution oriented gatherings. Now, more than ever, is the time for each individual person to ENGAGE FULLY in the issues and opportunities available in the marketplace.
I’ve done this writ large by stepping out with the creation of an innovative new real estate firm . . . FRESH and NEW . . . a “safe haven” for those REALTORS who want to STAY in this business and PERFORM. Pareto Realty is providing for, while at the same time inviting, other REALTORS and vendors to the party through a series of “Lunch & Learn” events where the space is safe for open dialog and learning . . . and the food is always good.
What about YOU?
How are you faring?
If you are still in this business, you are better at what you do now than you have ever been before because you MUST perform at a very high level to close deals these days.
You CAN do this but NOT alone. Get yourself an accountability support group and go to your Broker or Owner or Manager or whoever and ASK them for coaching.
If your firm is not organizing gatherings, do it yourself.
The more people ENGAGED in this business NOW – The faster we’ll turn this ship around.
BE THE LEADER YOU ARE and become that CONNECTOR . . . The person who is known for bringing people together to collectively confront/solve the issues and opportunities we ALL face.
DO NOT ALLOW THE PROPHECY OF 350,000 TOO MANY REALTORS IN THE COUNTRY TO BECOME SELF FULFILLING! (REALLY – 1/3 of the agents should abandon?)
Don’t be a statistic for the dark side.
It’s time to RALLY folks.
I am totally open to (with no strings attached) spending 30 minutes with ANYONE out there who is approaching the end of the rope and considering bailing out of the game. Just contact me.
I’m just sayin’
Best,
b