Estate agents numbers cut in half

More than 30,000 estate agents have lost their jobs since the start of the credit crisis, nearly half the number who were in work 18 months ago. Approximately 4,000 estate agency offices, nearly one in four, have closed, resulting in 32,000 agents losing their jobs. The hardship continues throughout the industry as valuers, negotiators and mortgage advisers are also losing their jobs due to the fall in house prices and drop in the number of house sales taking place.