Almost every day people ask me about how many agents have actually left the real estate business during the recent slow down in the market.

I heard from another Realtor (even though I do not have proof of it) that we had about 300 Realtors who had licenses last year who did not renew their Board of Realtors membership this year.  I really do not think that is a true indication – probably the best indication is the number of people who still have an active MLS license who are working different jobs to try and make ends meet.  This has been a very tough time for all Realtors – even the ones on the top who are selling significantly less than they did several years ago.

The good news is that it makes us go back to the basics.  Charlie Reed has a saying on our wall in our office that says, “good habits are formed in bad real estate markets and bad habits are formed in good real estate markets”.

Yes, there will be agents leaving, but there will be agents replacing them.  Even in a slow market you have people who start in the market. 

I got in the real estate market in November of 1981 which was a terrible real estate market.  It was a great time to learn because you really had to scrap to make ends meet. 

I often say that in a slow market the buying public needs the service of a Realtor much more than they do in a fast market.