In answer to the question of this topic, we did something unexpected. I quit real estate because it cost too much for me to stay in business. It is cheaper for me to stay at home. In the real estate office there is a top producer of 30 years. He's had lots of awards and accolades and realtor of the year events. His assistant keeps him strong. What with the heavy use of technology, I don't know where he'd be without her. She's a wonderful young woman. She had a 2 year old son. She is 31. Her high school "sweetheart" was her boyfriend. When she got pregnant 1) he got more violent 2) he decided he did not want to raise a kid after all. Meanwhile, top producer cuts her hours from 8-5 plus OT (he bought her a laptop so she could work from home) to 8-2 (5) days per week. He's making half of what he made last year, and half of what he made the year before. To make up the difference in pay she took a receptionist job on Sundays. Her studio apartment rent was going up, gas to get to work, day care, doctors, etc are rising, and through no fault of her own she was being squeezed out financially. I think she really had no where to turn, no where to go. So we cleared out our finished basement, and we are renting it to her for cheap. It gives her security and it gives us extra money per month. We all had some adjusting to do, but this is going to be just fine for a year or so. I love the way the universe puts people in need in touch with each other. Dotsie, that's true, who is going to bail out the small business? The broker I was working for has done everything he can to keep his doors open. God bless those who don't have to think of these financial ramifications day in and day out. I may be wrong, but I don't think those who have money have a clue as to how hard it is to make ends meet. I don't think most understand the urgency.