We've seen a few examples of this in the Fresno area, but expect more: this real estate downturn will likely force more real estate companies to consolidate.

That's what Inman News says. In this post, the folks at the news service say they expect some major marrying to occur. Inman interviews one real estate agency owner who says she gets calls from potential suitors on a regular basis. She says some partnerships are likely to be "shocking" arrangements.

Nothing would surprise me. This has been a steep decline and real estate firms and home builders are looking for soft places to land.