While you were gone, a bunch of agents went broke and got out of the business, but a bunch more got back in when the economy improved.

That $10 million dollar cash buyer called.

While you were gone, many of us fought the good fight and kept this industry alive during the worst market in history. We never left when it got tough, we never left when short sales were the only sales, we never left our clients, we were the winter patriots while the summer soldiers fled.

 the only thing I observed was "while you were gone, I made money".... too bad you left!!!!

While you were gone, many of your former buyers sold their homes with me and kept my boys in college!  THANK YOU for being gone...but, welcome back!  

(I know, that was mean - but, giving up is not in my blood and with two in college during the recession, my drive was stronger than it had ever been before!) 

While you were gone, the world as you knew it continued to change.

Some agents stood still, some looked at the changes, adapted and prospered.

Others gave up, said I am too old to change and watched their businesses decline and die.

While you were gone... your past clients moved on to new relationships with other agents... it will be hard to seduce them to come back to you, especially if you didn't keep in touch.

I love your last line. Yes I do read the questions and the small print after them. 

While you were gone, that ham sandwich you represented that qualified no-doc . . . was eaten. They held the lettuce. 3:)

Life goes on to the beat of the drummer we listen. It truly is all good. 

While you were gone, I was working.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with Kenneth J. Jones , even with the best of us, if we stop blogging or not anymore  an active member of a community, our names are soon forgotten. Similar to our clients and families, if we do not remind them what we do for living, they buy/sell a house with someone else shamefully whispering ''I forgot that you are a RE agent!..."

Sad but may of the marginal agents are finding their way back into our profession...

While you were gone PC is out the window. Big name national companies have bought up most of the little guys and are no longer offering the personal service a lot of consumers want and desire. New agents think they are order takers. Old agents forgot how to answer the phone. AND.... in the middle... the hard working agents are doing quite well. They are listing, selling and providing service. Communication, patience and persistence are the tools of the trade. 

Constant change is sometimes obvious or not but it is upon us all always

While you were gone, gone became commonplace. 

Annette,

Change is constant, so as we sleep more is happening...we all do our best. A

I'm not sure I want to get into the current world view debate.

While you were gone life went on

No more picking up keys , no more dropping off signed contracts to the listing agent , etc.

While you were gone....the lunatic fringe have become mainstream with power.

Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA nailed this one!

Hmm, whoa, yeah, oh baby, hmm, oh

Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 - technology....

Great question, Annette!  I have enjoyed reading the answers.

And while you were gone, Ben Kinney & Co did an upgrade on AR (except you were still here, lol).

While you were gone prices tanked even more, we worked a successful short sale business for 6+ years, many agents and builders left the business, prices began to rise, many new agents and builders joined the business, we got out of the short sale business (phew!) and now prices are back at peak 2007 prices.  Now we are just waiting to see what happens next....

While you were gone, people bought and sold property.

While you were gone you were missed at first but then the gap filled in and soon there was no longer a gap. Now you will have to create a space for yourself again.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

While you were gone the world moved on!

      Sometimes I choose to be gone.  I will enjoy whatever it is that I have gone to, and not lament over that which I have gone from. 

While I was gone I doubt anything of significance ever happens LOL

While you were gone, some new agent started working the business and not they are gone, so welcome back.

While you were gone, things got a little weird. Sign here and put this helmet on.

While you were gone; you missed out while many others gained