Special offer

Realtors® and Dead Cats: What does your market look like?

Reblogger Joe Kenny
Real Estate Sales Representative with Realty Executive Midwest

Did you ever hear Brian Buffini's joke about the lady getting pulled over and the police officer asks for her Real Estate license? She says "don't you mean my drivers license" and the police officer "replies no mam, not everyone has a drivers license" Here's Tim Bradley's post backing this up.

Original content by Tim Bradley

I've been hearing how easy it is to hit a Realtor® by swinging a dead cat, so I thought I'd do a little research. I couldn't find a source that tracked dead cats, so I focused on the number of Realtors instead. In Hawaii, there's a licensed Realtor for every 161 people, but in West Virginia you'd need to whack 648 people with that cat to be sure you hit a Realtor.

I looked up the stats for my local market, Jackson Hole, WY, and WOW! Just over 400 licensed Realtors belong to the local board, and the year-round population here is just 20,000. That works out to be one Realtor per 50 people in Jackson Hole, WY! It was even worse in 2008, when there were some 1,000 licensed agents, making the ratio an astounding 1 Realtor per 20 people. One in Twenty. Think about it. Now that's competition.

Or is it? 60% of those agents have disappeared in the past two years, as the real estate market collapsed. How much business did they really do? How many were part timers, listing only family property, or getting a license because the business seemed so easy?

What does your market look like?

Realtor to Population Ratio 2010

Tim Bradley
Owner/Broker
Contour Investment Properties
172 Center Street, Suite 200
PO Box 1152
Jackson, WY 83001
(307) 733-6400
www.contourproperties.com

CCIM logoTim Bradley is an owner of Contour Investment Properties, the only brokerage firm in Jackson exclusively focused on commercial and investment property in Jackson Hole and Teton Valley. Tim has earned the MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute as well as the CCIM designation from the CCIM Institute.

Arleen Montford
KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY GULF COAST - Pace, FL
Selling NW Florida Homes in Pace/Milton/Pensacola FL

Hi Joe Kenny, How have you been?I have been so busy. But I wanted to stop in and say hi.

Jun 12, 2011 04:23 PM
Virginia Gingras
West USA Revelation - Gilbert, AZ

I agree with you that there be many Realtors who are licensed, but how many are making an effort and are really actively "active".  That's what makes the difference.

Jun 12, 2011 04:26 PM
Joe Kenny
Realty Executive Midwest - Darien, IL
Better Than Your Average Joe

Arleen- I'm great

Virginia- I couldn't agree more.

Jun 12, 2011 04:32 PM
John Michailidis
Real Property Management of Sarasota & Manatee - Sarasota, FL
Real Property Management of Sarasota & M

It looks like 175 non-agent for every agent if FL. That sounds about right!

Jun 12, 2011 04:35 PM
Joe Kenny
Realty Executive Midwest - Darien, IL
Better Than Your Average Joe

John- That's some pretty fierce competition.

Jun 13, 2011 12:04 AM
Gay E. Rosen
Julia B. Fee Sotheby's International Realty - Larchmont, NY
As Real as Real Estate Gets!

Hi Joe: The numbers always amaze, but it is usually only the top 20% who produce....thank goodness.  Hope you have been well. LOL G

Jun 13, 2011 12:50 AM
Connie Goodrich
Keller Williams Realty - McKinney, TX
CRS ABR (McKinney Realtor)Texas

There is a REALTOR on every corner is the saying we have here in our area.  Lots of REALTORS but the old 90 - 10 rules applies - 10% do 90% of the work.  Many just have a license and do one transaction a year.  The cost of a license has made many rethink their commitment to continue to hold and the state offering and easy way to keep your license inactive for minimal cost has made many take that route.

Jun 13, 2011 01:49 AM
Gene Mundt, IL/WI Mortgage Originator - FHA/VA/Conv/Jumbo/Portfolio/Refi
NMLS #216987, IL Lic. 031.0006220, WI Licensed. APMC NMLS #175656 - New Lenox, IL
708.921.6331 - 40+ yrs experience

I'd like to do a comparison now versus pre-housing downturn.  For both agent and lender.    I'm thinking you could have whacked a few too many lenders prior to the housing crisis.  Interesting numbers here ...

Let me know when you're up for lunch or etc.   Time to catch-up with one-another again ...

Gene

Jun 13, 2011 07:22 AM