It has always amazed me, how the real estate industry lacks standards. Most folks go to real estate school thinking they will come out educated. Instead they come out knowing how to pass a test...
"When in doubt choose 'c', that's what I remember. I, like everyone else sat in class bored to tears while the instructor rambled on with his own version of ancient war stories. Occasionally, he would drop us a hint as to how to answer the test question.
In real estate school I never did learn anything about how to make this business work. Upon receiving a license, I was basically "on my own."
Twenty some years later, nothing has changed. In fact, things are worse. Instead of having a broker to look after you, the brokers are now looking after mobs of 100's of people in the BIG companies. The broker in change really isn't. How can one oversee hundreds of licensees if they can't even remember their names!
What has changed in our industry is the competition. Everyone wants a piece of the action. Brokers continue to cut their fees because they can't defend their services. Instead they practice pro-bono real estate, until they go broke and get a real job.
NAR, the National Association of Realtors does a commendable job in campaigning to keep banks and the like out of our business. What they aren't doing right is making our business "special". Instead they continue to push to let our numbers swell to the point beyond reason. Having a "Realtor in every house" in not good for our industry! We need to look to setting standards, reasonable standards that people need to aspire too. Not drop into.
Standards should be associated with education. Serious education, that aids REALTORS to succeed in business. If we work on improving the attrition rate, rather than the sign up rate, we as an industry would have more respect. We need to get past the "revolving door model."
Being a REALTOR should be a destination career. Kids in school should want to aspire to a worthwhile, lifelong, rewarding career.
Are you a REALTOR? Speak up...what kind of industry standards would you feel improve your business and stature in society?
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