This is an excellent discussion that's raised many relevant points about the state of the real estate industry, and what this means for agents. In a market the size of the Seattle metro area, there are myriad opportunities to develop a niche following. I for one have chosen to pursue do-it-yourself home sellers in the Seattle core and have structured a handful of flat-rate packages to appeal especially to that market. My marketing plan/dollars focus exclusively on reaching that audience. When people say "but don't sellers want someone to hand hold them through the process?" or "but don't sellers want someone else to show their home?" I respond that yes, some sellers want that. But that's not my target; there are enough sellers that don't care about those things for me to work with. I think conventional agents have lots of opportunities to differentiate themselves. For example, despite the fact that I target the do-it-yourself market (and empathize with their disdain for agents in my marketing materials), I myself work with an agent for personal investment properties. She specializes in the field and provides tremendous value to me. Point is that there are dozens if not hundreds of niche markets in real estate. The key is to clearly define your market, really understand what they VALUE and why, and then develop your service (ALL aspects of it) in ways that fully exceed their expectations. It's actually quite liberating! You don't get sidetracked by other opportunities. Of course, as with anything, once you determine your niche, you have to really commit to it, and then be patient. The results will come!