Welcome!
There was a piece on NPR a few months back about a related problem. With the crack down on border crossings since 9-11, it has become harder to get illegal drugs across the border. Homes near the Canadian border have been turned into "grow houses." Here is a link to the piece I did on the Seattle PI real estate blog, which also includes a link to the NPR story: http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/realestate/archives/126662.asp
I've worked for Windermere in the Seattle suburbs since 1990 and there is no other company I would work for. The "soft sell" approach represents our company culture well. Our owner's motto is "to hire good people and then get out of their way."
We do need tougher entry standards for Realtors. It's too easy for people to get a real estate license and not take the real estate profession seriously. Quantity is not the issue, Michael, quality is. The need for higher standards and higher entry requirements is paramount in the real estate industry.
