Sign o' the times: "NO REAL ESTATE OR MORTGAGE CANDIDATES PLEASE."

Oh, my, how the tables have turned, and it appears the REIC-backlash is in full bloom.

Probably the biggest reason for not hiring anyone with "realtor", "mortgage broker" or "appraiser" on their resume is that you don't know how long they'll be able to work until the FBI comes in and arrests them.

Plus you'd always be worried about them stealing the office supplies. Or running some kind of con game on their lunch hour.

So what will become of the hundreds of thousands of REIC who lose their jobs? Back to bartending, stripping, used car sales and drug dealing I'd expect.

As lending industry crashes, thousands seek jobs elsewhere

The subprime home-loan rush is history.

But its impact on the state's work force is just beginning to play out as tens of thousands of real estate, finance and construction workers are left looking for work after a number of heady years.

Like a lot of mortgage industry workers, Stush, 55, tried to get work in other kinds of financial services such as insurance, but he found a huge stigma attached to the mortgage industry that disqualified him from even being considered for many jobs.

"It's unjust. If you were in the mortgage industry for a long time ... employers think you're used to making so much money that you're not going to take $50,000 or $70,000 a year. ... They also think (mortgage lenders) are all money-hungry pigs, but it's not true. Employers are missing out on some really outstanding employees."

It's not uncommon to see disclaimers on Internet job postings that say: "NO REAL ESTATE OR MORTGAGE CANDIDATES PLEASE."

Remember GOP Congressman Mark Foley - who preyed on little boys and resigned from Congress in disgrace? Well, of course, now he's a REALTOR

You can't make this stuff up.

And remember, anyone can be a REALTOR - even disgraced Congressmen.

"Hi - I'm Mark Foley, and I'd like to sell you a home. And make sure you bring your kids to the open house!"

Foley refashioned as beau of the ball

For a couple of hours Friday night, it was as if former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley had never gotten himself into a heap of trouble.

The place: Palm Beach's Mar-a-Lago. That's where Foley once found plenty of political support, never mind that the district he represented is a few miles north.

When asked about his future, Foley said only that he's trying to sell homes. He renewed his real estate license last year.

"I have a couple of offers on a place," he said. "Keeping my fingers crossed."