Real Estate Training Leads to Job Loss, What's Next for Agents?

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MSNBC reports on a new group called Real Estate Lives that are working diligently to try and reverse the effects that Tampa's real estate job loss is having on their States economy.  At this point, the organization's focus has been on trying to place anyone who has lost his or her real estate-related job into another career or job position.

The new organization, started by Tampa lawyer Ron Weaver, has applied for non-profit status, they hope to receive that soon.  In the beginning, Weaver sought out leaders from the professional group Commercial Real Estate Women as the organization's other founders.

When asked, Weaver had said that he started hearing about real estate agents and other profesional career people leaving Tampa to take unrelated jobs around the country.  This places Tampa's local economy at risk for obvious reasons and Weaver has decided to do something about it.

"We were sending them to mine coal in Colorado," Weaver said. "We decided there had to be something we could do."

As the old adage goes, "the proof is in the pudding" so this is what one person has had to say about the organizations hard work, "Real Estate Lives have been trying to make me aware of job fairs and professional meet-and-greets," said Brown, of Riverview. "They also have gotten me a resume review and a mentor who is an architect."

Online services such as RealEstateLicenseDirect.com, are already doing their part to increase awareness and offer real estate training to prospective agents free of charge, but even industry giants such as these are no match for a sour economy.  The best they can do is continue their efforts as they push for a better year in 2009.

One founder of Real Estate Lives, Pam Winchester of Focus Real Estate Services, said the group has four primary goals:

•Help meet immediate financial needs of families by working with social service agencies

•Restore a sense of hope

•Retrain the individual for another position

•Place them in a job

If you have lost your real estate related job and are in need of career assistance, or would like to offer your support to Real Estate Lives, you can visit their website at http://realestatelives.org