By Fred Seely, Editor
Is the market improving? That's a subject for another time but there's one thing that certainly is improving: the number of people who think it is.
The sharp decline in the number of real estate sales agents from 2007 to last year seems to have bottomed out. Every indicator shows that desks are again being occupied and that means more competition on the various farms.
Association memberships are up. NEFAR added about 900 last year and has budgeted for many more than that coming into the fold this year. It's not unlikely that the association will reach a high: There now are about 5,000 members and the record is just under 7,000, set in 2006.
"We are looking for an excellent year," said NEFAR President Linda McMorrow of The Legends of Real Estate. "When we went through the budgeting process, we didn't see any area that would cause us to doubt that."
The state association, Florida Realtors, has added a significant number and expects more. The 2013 closing number of 127,430 should increase considerably if the back-to-work trend is statewide.
The entry point — getting a license — is showing significant gains.
"The Division of Real Estate applications for licensure have shown a steady increase over the last year from an average of 2,000 to 2,500 applications for licensure a month to an average of 3,000 to 3,500 applications for licensure a month," said Beth Frady, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
There's another piece to the entry level: The so-called "schools," where wannabe agents get the knowledge needed to pass the state's lengthy multiple choice exam that can lead to a license.
"We're seeing a definite increase in enrollment," said Neal Boatright at the Florida Real Estate Institute, the Orange Park school where thousands of area Realtors have started their careers. "It's not like the levels of five to six years ago but it's sure a lot better than last year."
If they're coming through the system, where will they end up?
"We're fielding a lot of calls from brokers wanting names. They see business coming back and they're understaffed," said Boatright. "When you go through the licensing process, your name and address are on the DBPR list that's accessible to anyone. Our students are getting a lot of cards and letters from brokers who want to hire them."
The big offices, almost all with at least one person dedicated to finding new agents (and their desk fees) are actively recruiting.
The smaller agencies may be the last in line but one veteran, Lee Norville, sees what's coming.
"If NEFAR sees an increase in members, then that's as good an indication as any that the market is heading back where it was," said the broker-owner of Norville Realty on Jacksonville's Westside.
"We may bring on some people at our office. Like just about everyone, we had people leave when things went south. It's a cycle and we've all been through it. You know what will happen: Business will pick up, people will come back."
Business, indeed, is picking up.
"Northeast Florida's real estate market strengthened significantly during 2013, with closed sales reaching 21,883," said Sherry Davidson of Davidson Realty. "That's a level not seen since 2006 and nearly 22 percent more than in 2012."