Where Have All the Realtors Gone? | News | CW33 Dallas/Fort Worth

Where Have All the Realtors Gone?

Real estate agencies are looking for a few good men and women

by Barry Carpenter, CW 33 News at Nine

April 1, 2008

A couple of years ago it seemed everybody wanted to be in real estate, and why not? There was a lot of money to be made; almost as easy as putting a sign in the yard. Nowadays, a lot of signs look like this one advertising for real estate agents. Why? I'm on the case.

Kelly Hudnell has been in real estate for eight years. In fact, she's the Texas Re-Max Broker of the Year. In addition to her "For Sale" signs, Kelly has signs out that read, "Now hiring outstanding agents."

Gone are the good old days when agents would get multiple bids on homes and advertising for agents was unheard of. Kelly says, "Absolutely not, you didn't really have to then."

But that was then, and this is now. Because times are tough, more agencies are looking for more sellers. When the market slowed, many agents got out of the business. Last year in Denton and Wise counties there were more than 800 Board agents; today, there are about 650. "Well, you have to work, you know there have been some definite years where you didn't have to work very hard, but you do have to work, you have to prospect, knock on doors, make cold calls and it's not for everybody," says Kelly.

Champions School of Real Estate Regional Director Bobbette Chronister says the down market isn't hurting enrollment. Business is so good, she's moving into a new building with 11,000 square feet of teaching space. Every month at the Dallas and Coppell locations, more than 800 people sign up for a real estate education. "This is really the time to get into the business, because this gives you the opportunity to get in at a lull time and establish yourself," says Bobbette.

Lisa Davido is finishing real estate school. She agrees that there is no better time to get into the business, saying, "Sort of like stocks; you want to buy low and sell high, so I am trying to get in where there is a valley and not a lot of people are in the business, or a lot of people may be leaving."

So the days of multiple offers seem to be gone, at least for now, but when the good times return, so will the real estate agents.

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