Spokane Realtors group sees gain in numbers

While home sales have tanked in some parts of the country, causing Realtors to leave the business, the Spokane Association of Realtors is having its biggest year for membership.

“We’re actually growing in numbers. Sales in Spokane, although down two and a half percent, are still going pretty strong when compared with previous years,” said Rob Higgins, executive vice president of SAR.

Because the real estate market is cyclical, Higgins said, there are times when Realtors enter and leave the profession. Since 2004, when the local market started heating up, the number of local real estate professionals has increased by about 150 people per year, he said.

The association currently has 2,300 members, which make up the bulk of the people selling residential real estate in Spokane County.

While the market is still relatively strong, if the cooling trend continues, Higgins said next year may bring a decrease in the number of Realtors working in the Spokane area.