Is This the End of the Line for Real Estate Agents?

GREAT post.  This is a critical issue...particularly for "mediocre" agents, but sooner or later the entire industry will have to take note and either change or join the dinosaurs.  Oh, and the NAR that's taking your money every month should do their members a favor and address this head on instead of their continued defense of a dwindling practice (the full service full commission model).  The article suggests specialization.  Great idea.  Adding value?  Absolutely critical.  The days of big commissions with little work are probably not coming back around after this slump...at least in a lot of areas.

Good food for thought.

I wouldn't loose any sleep over this.  In all professions there are some consumers choosing to do things on their own. But, are they educated, trained, do they have the experience that we have - NO! They are just hoping to save a buck or two.  But in the long run, the risk of standing there with no home and no money is very over whelming.  If you can prove that you are providing "added value to the transaction", and making their lives much easier, why wouldn't they use you.  Every-time we turn around, we are paying for convenience, instead of doing it ourselves.  The article doesn't bother me a bit.