Attention Scottsdale Shoppers: Your Realtor is in Aisle Three!

Let's face it, folks, the Real Estate business has gotten a lot tougher here in Scottsdale in the last year or so. The number of listings is up. The number of buyers is down. Mortgage guidelines have tightened to make obtaining financing more challenging. With the flood of recent licensees who joined the ranks of Realtors in the last few years to capitalize on the seismic boom of 2004-2006, many are left to wonder, "Now what?"

This wave of agents never learned about marketing a property. Houses sold as soon as the sign went up. This wave of agents never learned about negotiating. When they joined the biz, they received 4 offers on their listings and accepted the highest one. This wave of agents didn't learn a lot of things. Unfortunately, many have been forced to reevaluate their future in Real Estate now that the landscape has changed.

I come to you today to ask for your support. For the cost of a cup of coffee per day, you can make a difference in an opportunistic Realtor's life.

How? By buying that cup of coffee from him.

He works the McDonalds drive-thru window now.

And what of the lender who joined the profession in 2005? You know, the guy who originated a zillion Interest-Only, Stated Income, 5-Year ARMs on $500,000 houses ... for mechanics making $18,000 a year? He bought that red Ferrari with the "MNYMAN" vanity plates?

Well, he'll be making similar plates for the next 5 to 10 years now that he has been convicted of falsifying loan applications.

Yes, my friends, there is some major employment restructuring afoot.

You've heard of hybrid agents? Well here the hybrids of recent years have been Hairdresser/Realtor, Electronics Store Employee/Realtor and Grocery Store Bagger/Realtor. Sadly, many have been forced to abandon the latter job title in 2007. I must admit, however, to being quite thankful that my former flyer delivery guy is once again my flyer delivery guy.

The Real Estate profession is a full time job. The last few years have spoiled agents as much as homeowners. When things were flying high, it seemed to many that values would never stop appreciating at record pace. Selling homes seemed so easy. While such a market still posed many unique challenges, the perception was that Real Estate was where you wanted to be to make the big score. Soaring prices and the promise of "easy money" will always bring out the novices and the disreputables. As an agent who is in it for the long haul, I actually welcome this temporary reprieve. Nothing cuts the dead wood out of an industry like a lull.

Please take a moment of your day to think about where your Realtor is today. Sure he might have been partially to blame for not recommending a home inspection. And you would have preferred that he knew more about your neighborhood other than to say it was "rad." I know you also thought it strange that he would always answer his phone by saying, "Sears Appliance Department, this is Skippy, how can I help you?" The poor guy was merely trying to take advantage of an outrageous market by plying his novice wares on an unsuspecting public. Have a heart!

So be sure to return that wave from the greeter on your next trip to Walmart. He just might have sold you your house.

Paul Slaybaugh is your full-service Scottsdale AZ Realtor. Selling Scottsdale, Phoenix and Paradise Valley AZ since 1999.