As we face an ever growing challenge in our Real Estate careers I am finding that with each quarters membership renewal the numbers are fading on the rosters.

Looking in the mirror and asking yourself is it time to find something else to do, Or can I work my way through this tough period and become a better agent for my clients.  For me the answer is to work hard learn more and stay committed.

What steps should we all be taking now that we haven't before ?  With the advertising budgets growing ever smaller with each passing day that goes by without a new contract being written and listings sitting idol surrounded by the now famous "Short Sale" and "Pre-Foreclosure" homes some of which are dying Jungles what is an agent to do ? Daily e-mails arrive to offer us a new way to spend more money on short sale servicing companies that require membership to receive more leads and possible listings of these troubled Homeowners Should we be signing up ?

Our Multiple Listing Service just added a new description area to help address this growing concern which has been slow in coming but at least will show the appraiser that there is a problem with the listing and comparable sales should be based on normal conditions and not the well below value sold short sales.

I consider this a step in the right direction for values but the fact is until these properties are cycled through the system we will continue to see the long market times and dropping prices, What more can or should we as Real Estate Agents be doing to stay in the business ?