One of the most commonly voiced real estate insider comments is “where are the future Realtors®?,” referencing the maturity of our current workforce. This trend was recently noted in the latest edition of the U.S. Government’s Occupational Outlook Handbook. According to the OOH, real estate brokers and sales associates are older, on average, than most other workers. As a corollary, the government also projects that employment in our profession during the current decade is expected to grow more slowly on average than other occupations.

On the face of it, the explanation for these trends makes sense. Until recently, the U.S. economy has enjoyed a period of unprecedented prosperity. Many people entering the workforce over the last decade have pursued career opportunities in the financial services and technology sectors that exceeded anything our industry could offer, even in a boom market. In addition, the impact of information technology on the relationship between homebuyer and Realtor® is evolving our traditional business model to one requiring ever-increasing efficiency.

Despite the graying of our profession, the conventional wisdom that has arisen from this trend – that real estate is not a first-tier career choice for people entering the workforce – deserves a critical look. One “truth” advanced to justify the conventional wisdom is that real estate is not a growth industry. From the growth I’ve witnessed at ERA Real Estate and other companies like Century 21® and Coldwell Banker®, I believe the industry has the capacity for growth. For example, in first six months of the year 2001 alone, franchise sales volume for the ERA® real estate network grew 139 percent compared to the same period for the prior year. Franchise sales for the first three months of 2001 were the best in the system’s history. Despite a downturn at year-end, historically low interest rates and a rebounding stock market point to a surprisingly resilient economy.

Another “truth” is that our industry does not offer sufficient technological challenges to attract a generation that has grown up with personal computers and video games. A typical sales scenario a decade ago might picture a sales associate and a client scrutinizing over the MLS. With more than 56 percent of homebuyers looking at properties, financing and related services on the Internet, according to research by Fannie Mae, 2000, that scenario is rapidly receding into the past. In a year that saw many Web-based business models fade from the scene, our industry continued to evolve toward the right blend of “bricks” and “clicks.”

Realtors today are more likely to resemble the “road warriors” that typify professionals in other service industries, as comfortable with a PDA as with a listing page. Savvy real estate companies are using a strong Web presence to offer a full complement of financing, relocation and related services to drive potential clients to their bricks and mortar establishments. Visitors to a site can slice and dice the listing data at their convenience, narrowing their search to properties with the desired mix of location, schools and other characteristics. Virtual tours narrow the search still further. An e-mail link puts a client in touch with a thoroughly trained real estate professional.

Finally, the real estate industry needs people who can help the baby boom generation realize their housing goals. According to the National Association of Home Builders, the number of households in the U.S. headed by someone between the ages of 55 and 64 in the market for a house is expected to grow 20 percent, from 1 million in 2001 to approximately 1.2 million households in 2006. And the boomers’ housing needs will run the gamut, from vacation homes to active adult communities to assisted living facilities, to name just a few possibilities.

Perhaps the best way to stem the graying of our industry is by doing a better job of getting out the word that, to paraphrase the U.S. Marines, there is always room for a few good Realtors. For newcomers with the right stuff, our profession offers unprecedented opportunities to enjoy a very green bottom line.

Brenda W. Casserly is the president and chief operating officer of ERA Franchise Systems, Inc.