In Defense of Realtors

I need to get something off my chest that's bugging me. I don't mean for this to go public, so if you happened to stumble across this blog and blog post, please keep it to yourself. Okay? It all began when I heard about a recent syndicated crossword puzzle. I was told there were various entries that referred to realtors in stereotypical fashion (a poor light). And then I got to see the crossword puzzle for myself. Sure enough, it was true. Realtors were painted very badly. Now we come to the getting it off my chest part. Why is it that we in real estate are portrayed in this way? Why is it (and in such a challenging time and market as ours is today) that this stereotype is promoted which broadbrushes an entire industry adding insult to injury? And why shouldn't the same thing be said across the spectrum about any career field? I know lawyers don't get good press either. But why not everybody else, too? I'd like to suggest (even though I am firmly behind this opinion of mine as fact) that the percentage of good and bad apples in any industry is necessarily the same whether it's real estate or editors of the local newspaper (or crossword puzzle writers for that matter), etc. - and especially because people (men and women) are the same. So stop jumping on real estate professionals. Stop piling on! There really are a whole lot of good people here. There. I feel much better.