2024

A few that I've gone head to head against in previous years have folded. A goodly number of brokerages are eating poop. There's a lot of folks who over-extended on tech stacks, hiring, office space, etc in the past few years. This, however, is playing okay for the job market. Because there's also a decent number of established, better tier brokerages that're looking to hire. It goes to that screenshot you posted. The savvier brokerage headsheds know that this is the *right* time to hire folks with connections, and/or capabilities outside their own usual wheelhouses. More to follow on that, potentially.

 

Some of that's because of the high cost of disasters over the last several years. The insurance companies have been paying out like crazy up here due to hail damage last year, for instance. It's enough that you see *tons* of "roofing contractors"- which is one of the sketchiest market segments - popping up around here. Had one try to hire me a few weeks back when I was talking my neighbor out of letting him get an insurance quote going to replace a roof that really didn't have any damage. Dude came over to talk to me, and see if he could get on the roof and get me a quote. "Nope. Don't need my rates to go up any higher, thanks." You add in wildfires, storm events all over the country, and all kinds of stuff, and my understanding is that it's been pretty heavy record-setting payouts, and like the first time in forever that State Farm didn't *make* money over a quarter. I'll have to see if I can find the particulars again.

 

Down from what?

double or triple what they were before the dementia patient got elected ?

the price of everything has doubled or tripled since 2020

 

mortgage rates are still around from 6% to close to 8%

 

Interesting. They went up 80 more for a set of four Alliance bought from FL dealer both times.

 

Tires are getting cheaper though. I just ordered a set of Yokos for $420, were over $500 a year ago. Michelin drives and steers are $530, also way down

 

Maybe this is a small sign things are going to begin improving soon.

 

Prior to 2000 they were never below 6%. Have to go back to the 60’s

 

Mortgage rates as well as other loan rates are slowly going down. I guess banks made their gazillions and see that there is less interest for folks to get in debt while we’re very close to depression.

 

How did you all manage volkers 16% rates?