Real Estate Agents, Mortgage Reps, Escrow And Title Reps, Numbers Are Falling.

Where are all of our Real Estate professionals off too? Has everyone piled enough money away to take extended vacations? The number of professionals still successfully operating are falling daily. According to several local Real Estate agents, Mortgage reps,and Escrow officers, the number of successful Escrow transactions have dropped significantly and continue to head down a dark path for all Real Estate professionals. There are a few success stories in the industry but they are few and far between here and there with respect to area and location. Report confirm that in some markets, homes are selling, that is when they do sell, are selling for less then automobiles.
Things have definitely tighten up. When there is a drought in any profession, heads began to roll and the finger pointing begins. Those who were taking their cake and eating it too began to get wind of their own funk, according to many struggling Agents and Reps. The Pre-Madonna's in the industry pull their heads from where the sun doesn't shine to see the whole world and not just the little bubble of a world that they created do to a successful run. Those runners are coming to a very slow jog.
Mortgage consultants through out the industry are speaking out about their relationships with Real Estate Agents who would not give them the light of day to do business. In house, LO's, speak of Real Estate Agents no longer showing up at the local Real Estate offices for weeks at a time and those who do show up, do so to find out how to get the jump on some one elses idea.
Where are they? Vacation perhaps?
Those Agents who were struggling are goners, and those Agents who were doing great are falling below doing good enough to stay active in the field. A good Agent is a dream come true for a Seller or Buyer according to one local loan officer. Some agents are being accused of only knowing how to fill out a sales contract, but having no idea of what Real,Real estate Agents do to be successful in the business.
Listings are just not moving off of the market in the successful since of moving, that is from listing to sold, properties are sitting and the Sellers are asking tough questions to there representatives. "When? How much lower and longer?"
Real Estate Agents who represent Buyers are asking their mortgage professionals tough questions as well, "What do you mean you need more time? Why have we not secured this loan?" Transaction time allowances have been over extended and gone bad in many cases leaving all parties to the transaction in bitter chaos. "Escrow will not close this week," the Escrow officer say to the Real Estate Agent. This is becoming more and more common place.
It is in this, which leads us back to the questions at hand, Where have the Real Estate professionals gone off too?
The reality is,Some are holding steady where they are with their head to the ground. They have weathered a strom or two in their long careers. Some are on long vacations, some are on even longer vacations, they have left the business for now. They will return when things turn around. When all one has to do to stay active as an Agent is to pay dues, why not go into a more traditional roll? 9 to 5 isn't so bad when your getting your bills paid and your putting groceries on the table.
As with any industry, there are the ups and downs and as the old saying goes, "What Goes Up, Must Come Down." We all know that in order for a thing to come down, it must go up. So with that being said, no one can predict exactly when the Real Estate Markets and industry will turn around for the good of all Real Estate professionals and thoses who they represent, but the one thing that we all know is that it will turn around.
In parting and once again, I claim to be no expert or authority on or in the Real Estate Industry. I express that these views and opinions are just that "views and Opinions" of mine and others who live Real Estate day in a day out. "I do not speak for all".

CDR