Hi all,

Looks like the RE agents/brokers are ranked lower again in 2006 Harris Interactive polls again.

http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris%5Fpoll.

Try this link:
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris%5Fpoll/
What about ex military officers now Realtors? Suddenly they are untrustworthy by just changing hats?

I don't see any reason to be concerned about this.

When you really look at the data, and take into account margin of error - the numbers have pretty much stayed the same since they started keeping track of real estate agents and brokers.

To answer the question directly, yes, I am proud of my job. Not always of my peers, but that is another story.

R

Amazing how our profession is perceived. With all the scandals on Wall Street and well as Corporate America, one has to wonder why a Realtor is considered to be prestigious.

I tend to agree with the survey, whoever thinks being a real estate agent/broker is a very prestigious job is incorrect. It's hard work and I'm glad the public sees it that way. I’d say it’s more like being a farmer, throwing out seeds and hoping something will grow.

Truthfully, you have to look at some of our peers that we are judged by. The majority of agents do a great job but until sellers and buyers actually shop for their agent then they will continue to get what they ask for.

I'm very proud of being in real estate, and of the job I do. I am NOT proud to be lumped together with agents who do anything for a sale and disregard honesty, ethics and the law. But I'd say many people who have been treated badly by one Realtor will assume we are ALL like that, the same as anyone who has been wrongly arrested considers ALL cops to be scum. It's all a matter of perspective...

I retired after selling real estate for 42 years in a multiple listing association. The best advice I ever got was twice: "Don't become cynical. The second word was: "Keep any open mind, attached to nothing. Do not be offenced by what you see, hear, touch, taste or smell."