Randy - I didn't understand it either, how could someone go from such great numbers in one year! I've talked to this person's co-worker and she said that he was all about the new business and rarely sent stuff to past clients. But, even with that you would think you would change your way of thinking as soon as the market started to turn.

Christine - Maybe that was it...They just got burnt out. I just find it so sad and talking to my principle broker who has been in the business 30 years this year, she says "it has a lot to do with in the past the things that worked to build business, just aren't there. It is now all about the internet and most of us just don't get it. Heck, I'm not even sure what a blog is still!"

Pacita - I was dumb founded by those numbers also, but they only focused on new business and not their past clients. To me when I saw things start to change, I would have also and started to call some of those past clients! Do what I have to!

Thanks to everyone for commenting on this and getting it featured, it really does mean a lot to me. I did go back and find out it was 89 listings and wasn't sure how many sales. But, she didn't know how many of those listings expired. I'm going to do some further investigation on this and find out what I can, because it is really sad.

David - I have made some more calls on this and it turns out they did what most people do when they start to get lean on money, they start to cut back on advertising. (Which I think is the last thing you need to stop spending money on) The agent that told me about this person said "They had 89 listings, but I'm not sure how many of those sold?"

Scott - I would like to find out what they were doing to get all those listings, because honestly I would love that many as long as I was selling them and not just paying to advertise them.

Shaun - I've seen even our title companies here are starting to let people go.

Susan - What is making this one so much harder than the ones in the past?

Jessica - I have since updated the post and I think a lot of answers to what happened have now been answered, because I had questions also!

Gary - It was scary numbers to me, but once I did some further investigation those 89 sales were all from two sellers!

Bob - As you can see from my update that those 89 were from two sellers, one went bankrupt and the other didn't renew his contract. (Sad, very sad)

Cheryl - I think the newbies just need some better mentors or didn't have the capital that they realize they needed to get into this business. I wish more real estate schools would tell the newbies before they start how hard the first year really is on bank accounts and families!

Judy - My uncle who was in the business for years called my dad the other day and asked how I was doing also and my dad told my uncle "Thanks to your advice that the market couldn't last and to prepare himself, Todd is doing better than every" I think most didn't expect it to be this bad and didn't save or change their market strategy and now it maybe too late.

Jason - I think the ones that prepared have survived, those who thought they would ride it out have falling off the wave and had to leave.

Clint - That is really sad when an agent that was expecting a check doesn't get it! I know I don't count the check until it has been in my account 10 or more days!

Steve - I couldn't think of a better fry cook than Mel!

Jimmy - I didn't think of that, but that certainly would have cut in to any reserves he had a lot quicker than someone like me who is solo.

Rick - The answer was he only had two clients and one didn't renew his contract and the other went bankrupt...Sad, but true.

Lynn - It is sad that so much knowledge is being lost as these agents leave. I still do a lot of things the old school way like trying to personally present offers and door knock. I learned these from one of my first brokers and I'm so glad I did, I think it gives a personal touch to the business that has been lacking since the internet.

Chuck - I agree, but when I dug a little farther, it all made sense.

Lori - I think you might be better off than most. Coming in at a time where business is tough, builds a good foundation of business instead of just collecting a check like a lot did a few years ago.

Heidi - You are right around the corner from me and though it has been slow for some, others are doing even better than before, because they planned for it and are working the plan they set for themselves.

Fran - Oh, it is just amazing me and I don't understand why it is worse. We don't have 18% interest like the early 80's and houses at least in our area on average are still under $300,000. Is it people got to used to 5% interest?

Stuart - It is so sad that so many are leaving, but I think it is just the nature of the business as I've heard others say "It weeds out the weak and undesirables"

Pam - Turns out half his business was that and the other half was REOs and the bank didn't renew his contract.

Lisa or Robert - I believe I am a fighter and I know my business is actually better now that it was in 2006 at the peek of the real estate market here in Beaverton.

Ryan - I'm not sure why he didn't keep in contact with some of his buyers for referrals, I certainly would have.

Kristi - I have heard about your market and compared to you we are in a booming market! I can understand why you have lost half and hopefully before it is all done, you can lose some more as you call it "Fair Weather Realtors"

Kelly - It is sad to see some of the people I've learned so much from that were doing 20-30 a year think about leaving also if they haven't already. So many people put their eggs in one basket with builders and re-habbers and now have nothing in the pipe line to keep them a float.

Cindy - Exactly, the sad part is this person was working that market and just lost his contract. (Not sure why or how, but the bank didn't renew it with him) I'm noticing the ones who are leaving the business, even the newbies are the ones who aren't embracing the internet.

Yvette - I agree, there is plenty of business, but I think people got used to not having to work for it and now like you said, they lived beyond their means for so long that now that the money isn't coming they are losing all the toys and stuff they got used to.

Paul - I want to be wheeled out, that would be awesome!

Linda - I see it happen here at Activerain and you see people write about how they have gotten so busy that they can't blog and then 3 months later they are back blogging because they have no business. You have to keep prospecting everyday if you want to remain busy.

Mott - 1978? Wow, you have seen it all! I won't tell you how old I was in 1978, but my uncle was in the business at that time and he is the one that told me when I started 5 years ago that these good times can't last and I see a fall on the horizon. He told me what steps to take so when it did happen I was ready. Now that he has proved he was right, I am glad I listened because I'm actually busier now than I was in the first year at the height of the real estate boom!

Renee - I think a lot of companies and individuals hired people on an hourly basis to save money and now that the deals are coming in the hourly is hitting their pocket books pretty hard.

Jesse - The first was 23 years I think, 20 + I do know for sure, but working for someone else 20 of those years. They were doing new construction and REO, the builder went bankrupt and the bank didn't renew his contract on the REOs.

I do wonder if as an agent out on his own for the first time, did bite off more than he could chew.

Andrew - That was too funny, but I guess a couple flowers for the head stone would be enough wouldn't it!

Ruthmarie - I think you are right as a lot of agents are afraid of the internet and I just personally can't understand why! I guess they don't see it as the same as them door knocking or cold calling, but in reality it is.

Chris - It is amazing how many people that had a lot of friends when they got in to real estate realize that friends aren't enough when things slowed down.

Susan - I think appraisals for everyone and unrealistic sellers are certainly affecting us all right now. I'm slowly starting to see a pick up here as well, I'm hoping that just isn't for the summer months.

Lisa - Looks like part of it was client's needs and the other was bankruptcy of a seller, really sad that all the eggs were in one basket.

Monika - I don't think people think of agents being hit just as hard if not harder. Most people live with in their means and then when the paychecks stop coming it is really hard to go back to a slower lifestyle.

Kelly - I think the key is don't put all your eggs in one basket, like this agent did. (OK, he had them in two, but he didn't balance them very well)

Russ - That really is sad, but it really has become the perfect storm hasn't it?

Susan - LOL

Lisa - I would have thought so also, but I'm guessing he just pumped them out and then never talked to another buyer again after they moved in. That really is common with bank owned properties and new construction.

Dionne - It seems sad that some of these agents during the good times didn't invest in real estate themselves, so they could have other income to live off of during the slow times.

Cindy - A Re/Max office closed? You just don't hear of that happening too often. I would say maybe things are worse off than they thought in your market.

Justin - That is just scary, did they not see what was coming and prepare, or they did and still couldn't make it?

Wayne - I agree it does hurt to have to tap in to that savings, but I think it is happening more and more! I think a lot of people are losing everything because of this and I think maybe they should have taken a long hard look at their business before they got to that point.

Suzanne - Talking to more and more past top producers, the numbers are scary. I talked to another one that after 22 years is retiring at the end of this year when he gets done with his current project. He went from $160,000 in commissions two years ago to $14,000 last year. He said he was just glad his wife made a good amount of money where she worked.

Joshua - I am fighting with everything I got and I don't plan to go anywhere!

Rick - I would have thought so also, but this guy I'm guessing just didn't have the personality to work with individuals verses a business, such as a builder or an REO department. (Hey, where are your new posts that you were promising?)

Bob or Carolin - See, that just scares me to see the Big Boys loose their homes and I don't think the public even realizes that. Maybe we should point out to them that we are just like them, we work, but as our sales go down with house prices, the chances of us surviving also goes down. (They think we make a lot of money, but I think the days of the flashy agent are gone for awhile)

Sally or David - I've noticed myself also getting busier as the more and more agents leave. I know our company's size has really shrunk, but my business has skyrocketed! I think it also has a lot to do with agent's wiliness to change.

Missy - See, 19 listings and couldn't make it! Doesn't surprise me at all, that is a lot of advertising dollars and if you have nothing coming in to show for it, you can't feed your family and that should be the first thing you are considering.

Tracy - I think my business growing has a lot to do with my hard work and consistency blogging and door knocking again. It takes work, but with it comes great rewards!

Brad - I have a lot of friends that work for First American and you are right, they illuminated a lot of jobs and a lot of my friends are either doing new jobs for them or I've even seen one working at a local bank and that is just sad to me. She had been working at First American for 24 years!

Wayne- Let's hope the media decides to report that, but they probably won't for another year or two. Good news doesn't sell!

JT - I agree, you can certainly tell who the fighters in a business are!

Joyce - I think he is seeking out new employment, lucky for him from what I understand his wife works and can pay the bills without his income, but it is tight! I'm guessing she just couldn't pay the bills and pay for his desk fee and advertising without him producing an income.