There are 169 real estate agents listed in the Olympic Listing Service in Sequim as of this date. Not all are full time, and my best guess is that only about 30% are full time Realtors who depend on real estate as their primary source of income. I would say that no one knows exactly how many are full time and how many are part time. Remember Sequim is largely a retiree population, so many people move here but want something to do, or they want a supplemental income, so the percentage of full time Sequim Realtors could be as low as 10% of the total number of Realtors licensed and calling Sequim their market area.
The majority of Sequim brokers, which is the new legal name in Washington for agents, are either 1.) retired from another occupation with a retirement pension, or 2.) they have a retired spouse with a retirement income. Many are retired and don’t need the money, but they got bored and needed something to do. Of the 10% to 30% who are full time, my guestimate is that only half of them rely on their real estate commissions as their sole source of income and are also the only income earner in the family.
Most agents focus entirely on getting listings, and have not built an independent marketing system to buyers. The business models of listing agents and buyers’ agents are different, the marketing is different, and how they spend their day is different. But this doesn’t mean the majority of agents call themselves “listing agents.” They focus their business on listings, but they accept buyers who call off their listings (which is their only marketing system to buyers), and they are quite happy to represent buyers when buyers fall into their lap. This difference is incredibly important but most buyers and sellers are completely unaware of the difference. More about this at:
The Difference Between a Listing Agent and a Buyer’s Agent
Possibly Related Posts:
- The Best MLS: The Northwest MLS and the Olympic MLS
- Real Estate Books
- Are There 5G Towers Near Me?
- When is Early Possession Safe for a Home Seller?
- Sequim Real Estate: How do I find a Home in Sequim