[quote=007healy]i feel if i start out in a bad times, and can survive, things will only get better. Also, i will learn a lot because of it.[/quote]

I'm in the same boat with you on this. I'm green, very green. No sales, no listings, no open houses, just books and studying. I believe that if I gaining most of my knowledge and experience during a difficult housing market will thoroughly prepare me for when times are better.

I couldnt' agree more. Kind of like New York. If you can make it there, you can....Communicate honestly with as many people as you can about what you do. Tap your spouse and his/her connections. Go to your kids functions, meetings, associations, parties, gatherings. Be knowledgable and available and honest.

Best of luck

USE the people you know. Write down a list of those people and begin to build your relationship with those people. You don't want to look like you are selling them on something at first. Then slowly but surely begin to consistently and politely market to them that you are a realtor and looking for referrals. There are a lot of books out there about this.