Thriving in a downturn: Can it be done?

It's happening. Real estate brokerage companies are cutting staff, agents are packing up and moving on (or at least considering other career options), and some brokerage offices are now closing.

Inman News this morning learned of a RE/MAX office in Minneapolis that is shuttering due to lack of business.

When news like this hits your industry it can be depressing. But it can also be just the fire that's needed to sharpen up that business plan and start getting innovative.

On Monday, Dec. 10, Inman News will host a live audio conference to discuss what's going on out there in the market, and what's expected for next year. We'll probe the pros on what struggling brokers and agents should be doing now to ensure their survival and how they can take steps to get ahead.

Inman News members can join the call live at 11 a.m. PT/ 2 p.m. ET on Monday, Dec. 10, to hear a discussion with Sherry Chris, president and CEO of Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate; Pat Lashinsky, CEO of ZipRealty; and John Reinhardt, president of Fillmore Real Estate. (Visit this page for dial-in information.)

About the speakers: Chris will be opening a new brokerage company in mid-2008 as a new brand for Realogy; Lashinsky will continue to oversee a national company that intends to continue expansion through the downturn; and Reinhardt will continue to operate his company, which has recently taken on the listings and some agents caught in the crosshairs of the Foxtons company closure.

I will moderate the call and take questions from listeners via email throughout the discussion. Now's your chance to ask theses executives what's been puzzling you about planning for another tough year. Send all questions to me at Jessica@inman.com.

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