All of this is a shame because being a REALTOR, when done WELL, is not an easy job – particularly in this market. The foreclosure market has changed the game, partly because banks don’t play by the rules and partly because foreclosures turn what is perceived to be a buyer’s market a seller’s market in many market segments. Agents are working with asset managers instead of home-owners and listing agents with large books of REO listings have turned into nothing more than systematic zombies, going through the motions as best as they can. Short-sales are a crap shoot – agents can work months for a deal that has a 1 in 3 chance of closing. Sellers are often in financial and therefore emotional distress. Buyers are either searching for the seller’s blood in the water that the media has told them is there or are too timid to jump off the fence. Meanwhile, tighter credit standards make it harder for buyers to qualify for loans. When they do qualify, and if they’re in the bottom end of the market, they’re jumping into multiple offer situations that leave them exhausted and disheartened – after a lot of work, many buyers just give up. On top of all of this, agents are being told they should be blogging, tweeting, facebooking, and LinkingIn!

The reason you’re not finding too many people who are good at it, is because it’s a lot harder than most people think (and I’m sure you know this from personal experience.) The problem, therefore, as you said, is how easy it is to get a license and how little experience you need to actually start practicing (as in… none!) I think there are many, many things that brokers and state boards should be doing to fix this and you’ve listed some of them here, but steering a ship this large is tough, especially when the passengers are all independent contractors who cannot be directed in any meaningful way by their brokers. (Maybe that’s where we should start?)

Finally, I have always found that the good agents aren’t the ones who appear on your radar because they’re out there busy doing their job. My husband’s mantra is to not engage in much of the silliness he encounters; he just moves it along and gets on with the job of helping his clients. So, when you’re in our positions, the squeaky wheels are all we see and this can definitely make you jaded.

Mentoring – Can’t believe the industry doesn’t require – look at appraisers, nail techs, massage
therapists, etc.

Professionalism/raising the bar — quit being like an organization of corporate flunkies and be business oriented vs pay check oriented. If you build a business vs earn a vacation check and work the business full-time then you can call yourself an agent (if belong to NAR then REALTOR). If not, just stick to your full-time job and let the REAL REALTORS step up. As an agent who has sold over 800 homes in 9 years it is difficult to explain to a prospect that we aren’t all alike because the industry doesn’t promote full-time workers…instead it is like Mary Kay or Amway —- work part time and become a gazillonaire…not!

Two, is the fact that with all the lip-service regarding “raising the standards / bar” I feel that too many agents / brokers focus on other people changing, instead of themselves.

I appreciate all the feedback and great comments here.

Ken – We’ll just have to agree to disagree on all accounts…