Untrained, unethical and incompetent agents....yes of course. But not part time. Just because you are not capable of making a living full time yet does not mean that you are any of the above. 

I'd be inclined to include part time agents, but maybe at the bottom of the list, and I'd leave them off it they were attached to a really good full time agent who shared their transactions.

The lack of training and experience is more important than the part time issues. We have a surplus of several hundred thousand real estate agents in the country. The low average income reflects poorly on the industry.

Michael Thornton Of course I do. However, I would not include all part-time agents in this category. I known many part-time agents who could run circles around many full time agents.

"untrained, unethical and/or incompetent agents"  huge issue.  Part time - providing their clients fully understand that they are "part time" - not so much

Like any business training is essential. Look at the auto industrybecause of lack of training.

Not just part time but some full time as well. I see the trend as the big companies buy everyone up getting only bigger do not always have a good handle on their agents. They provide training but when it comes to using it in the real world, with some it is lost.  

Yes, absolutely.  In an industry so focused on head count, this is a real issue. My office has exploded in growth and we are not alone - training and mentoring is so important.  Lack of training feeds incompetence.  Lack of ethics cuts deeper and can be a problem at all levels of experience.  I understand Karen's point about part-timers, it is a tough business to make a living. But if part time, then availability to advance transactions/fulfill their role needs to be addressed in some way.

As long as there is no barrier to entry, it will always be so. 

Great question and the answer is a big "YES"! Sponsoring brokers should be more selective!

Good morning Michael. It is the same in every industry, there are many that make the others looks bad to consumers. Over time many get out, which is better for the rest of us.

It is a pretty low bar of entry and as long as they continue to allow fees for referrals there will always be plenty of people keeping a license just so that they can collect a fee whenever a friend or relative buys or sells.

Yes, If a Seller thinks their home is not selling, because the agent is a part time agent, it could cause a generality with all part time agents.

I hear that crap all the time, yet in my experience I only rarely come across an agent who isn't up to par in doing their job.  Where are all this bad agents?

Michael Thornton yes, that DANGER report mentions about the part-timers.

Not sure about untrained (it's possible as we do not learn in Real Estate training school what we practice),

Unethical? I think every business has a few.

It has always been that way since I started in 1980. There are many full-time agents that are untrained and unprofessional. It is relatively easy to get into and because of that it attracts many that are not serious or never do anything with it.

Hell Yes!  I am wondering were do these agents find brokerages to work for?

I agree with all of it except for the Part-time part!   This business has always been the same and I doubt it will ever change.

glass half full or half empty. i have bantered about this for years... without those incompetents, you would have greater competition. with those nim kum poops , your average client thinks RE agents are all like that. pick your poison.

Those articles could have been written yesterday or 30 years ago.  The answer to your question is YES, of course!