Real estate agents court 20-somethings

A lot of observers -- myself included -- give real estate agents a hard time. The National Association of Realtors serves as the agitprop of the housing market, declaring a brighter future no matter what the actual environment is. Ebullient optimism cheered on by the industry led a lot of people into serious financial woes.

But it's important to remember that a home is the best investment most people will ever make, and the impact of real estate agents on the financial health of the country is, without question, an overwhelmingly positive one. Right now the industry is looking for ways to target 20-somethings, and that could be a huge contribution to the welfare of Generation Y.

The USA Todayreports that, in an effort to connect with young people, real estate agents are posting homes on social networking sites and making YouTube videos.

One solution: find younger real estate agents who can connect with young buyers. According to RealtyTimes, almost one-third of real estate brokers. are over 60. Only 12% of sales agents are under 35. This might seem like a crazy time to go into the real estate business but, if you're a recent graduate struggling to find a good job, it just might be worth a shot. There would seem to be a huge market (The echo boomers) that older agents are having trouble connecting with.