The Tucson Association of Realtors announced a 10 percent drop in membership renewals for 2008, an attrition rate that came in slightly ahead of what the association anticipated, according to a news release.

A total of 5,907 members renewed, 12 more than the Realtors’ budget accounted for, according to the release. Previously, there were about 6,500 members in the association.

The renewal numbers did include new memberships, but, the release said, initial new membership numbers looked “very promising.”

“We appreciate the strong support from our members and their confidence in the market,” the release said.

I’m sure they’re not just saying that to be nice.

Sales reports from the Tucson Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service and from local housing market consultant John Strobeck showed that January was the worst month for sales—at least in terms of the numbers of sales—in at least a decade.

The Realtors’ statistics showed sales were down to a level not seen since January 1998. Strobeck’s January sales report showed that the number of new homes sold that month was at about the same level as in the early 1990s.

Doom and gloom aside, more agents are still signing up to be Realtors. So far, at least 108 additional new members have signed up, said the Realtors’ group’s CEO, Rick Hodges. He said he expects to see more new memberships in the coming months.