Mike Parker

Mike Parker mparker@theblackwatercg.com Last year at this time, I had lunch with a leading economist. I asked her what she thought the drop out rate woud be this year; she asked me what I thought it would be. To my amazement, she opined that up to 40% of agents would leave the field in 2008--I had guessed 30%. Now, I hear of many organizations where agent renewals are down 30-35%. It seems certain that as marginal players continue to be further marginalized by the marketplace that further drop offs will continue. It's brutal, but it's necessary. The entry requirements should be stiffened so that more is needed than passing the license exam to be an agent; There are just too many agents competing for too few sales these days. Something's got to give. I guess they call that "market forces."

Mike Parker mparker@theblackwatercg.com Brett is so right! Just set up a Google alert on any subject you wish to monitor. In my opinon, however, it is rare that someone NOT in the public eye has to worry about reputation online for the simple reason that no one can find most agents online. As a columnist for Inman, people are looking you up all the time. Comes with the turf. In the event that anyone has false and defaming or anonymous info posted about them, one needs to contact the site webmaster. Usually, they will take down things erroneous. Unfortunately, however, it may take MONTHS for that false post to disappear off Google, even though the link to it may. I think it is far more important to think offensively, as opposed to defensively, about the Internet:become prominent under your specialty/your market and you will sell many more homes. That's what everyone should be aiming at, in my opinion, as the false postings are very rare for conventional agents not in the public eye. Best wishes to all for a Happy and Prosperous new year.

Mike Parker mparker@theblackwatercg.com Well said, Bernice, but one thing continues to elude my understanding: Just what do all these people who seem to wallow in the misery of the economic moment think will happen to this business if the majority of agents allow circumstances to override opportunity? Surely, everyone will agree that there is a huge opportunity developing right in front of us. Are many going to be so disillusioned and bitter that they let it pass them by? I hope not. Negativism doesn't sell houses. It's tough, but as long as we can think, we should all be thinking of how to make this into an opportunity. And, I wouldn't be stung by being called "Pollyanna." It sure beats being called "Chicken Little" in my opinion.