Hey folks, let's talk about the big picture in real estate—how long are you planning to stay in the game? Is it a year, two, five, ten, or even twenty? Are you testing the waters with just a toe in or is this a full-blown career for you?

Many agents tend to have a myopic view, making crucial career decisions based solely on today's market conditions. Yes, sales volume is currently at a 20-year low, but assessing your entire career based on a single down year is shortsighted.

If you envision being in the business for the next 10 or 20 years, one year of reduced sales shouldn't define your career. Recessions in real estate occur every 10 to 12 years, and what follows is typically a decade-long period of rising prices and increased sales volume. It's a market reset, not the end of the road.

For those considering exiting the industry for a "real job," think about the earnings over the next decade in that new job. If you're fortunate, maybe a...

Guys, 60,000 agents have already left the industry, and another two to 300,000 are projected to follow.

But here's why it's good news for us as REALTORS:

Each departing agent likely had one or more transactions last year. As they leave, those opportunities come back into play, and we have the chance to handle them as real estate professionals. So we can expect to get busier with each agent's exit.

However, there's an even bigger opportunity that most agents are overlooking:

Every agent who leaves the industry leaves behind a sphere of influence, a network of family and friends who may have some influence that we can tap into.

Here's what you can do:

Reach out to these exiting agents and express your condolences about their departure. Then ask them a quick question: Would they be interested in monetizing their hard work by earning referral fees? Since their license is still active, they can leave it hanging and...