Jared James
EDITOR’S NOTE: The 50 finalists will not be revealed until March 26 at www.realtor.org/realtormag. Good luck to everyone who applied!
By Jared James
One of my favorite times of the year has come yet again. It is voting time for REALTOR® Magazine’s annual Web Choice Award, where we select our favorite REALTOR® among the 50 finalists for the 30 under 30 issue. I had the great honor of winning this award just a few years ago and can truly say that it had a profound impact on me because it is one of those amazing achievements, similar to a college diploma. It is yours forever once you get it.
Voting for this year’s Web Choice Award starts 8 a.m. EST Saturday, March 26 and runs through 11:59 p.m. EST Sunday, April 3. You can access the voting through REALTOR® Magazine’s homepage at www.realtor.org/realtormag starting March 26.
Since winning the award myself, I’ve gone on to write a book and keynote real estate events all over the world. While I am not naïve enough to believe that this is all because of the Web Choice Award, I also recognize that it didn’t hurt to get my foot in any door early on. I was able to start off my introduction with the sentence, “By the way, I was fortunate enough to be voted by the readers of REALTOR® Magazine, with a circulation of over 1.1 million people, as their readers’ choice pick among the finalists for their 30 under 30 issue.”
I can remember the nerves I felt as I waited to hear if I was one of the top 50 finalists. When I got the news that I made it, I was elated to say the least, but I immediately started thinking about the 30 under 30 and went right into action getting everyone I knew to vote for me. At one point I believed my odds were very slim at winning the vote when a gentleman that I had sent to the site to specifically vote for me called and said, “Man. It wasn’t easy. You are nowhere near as good looking as some of the ladies you are up against.” To this day he promises that he did vote for me, but I am not convinced.
In all seriousness, the winner of the vote for this year’s Web Choice Award will have many opportunities and doors open for them because of the credibility that REALTOR® Magazine has earned in the industry. Last year, more than 150,000 votes were cast and the winner, Juan Carlos German, received 35,997 votes. That’s huge! We all owe it to ourselves and the eventual winner to review the many worthy candidates and vote for the one that we believe is most deserving this year. After all, we are potentially about to bestow an award on someone that no one can ever take away. So do your part and vote. It means everything to someone!
Jared James is the CEO and founder of Jared James Enterprises (JJE) and travels around North America speaking to and coaching REALTORS®. Connect with Jared at www.jaredjamestoday.com, on facebook.com/jaredjamestoday, or follow him on Twitter @jaredjamestoday.
Comments 19
Cant wait to see the turn out !
When will the 50 be notified? on the 26th?
Can’t wait to see who’s in the running!
Jared, thanks for the update. I’m excited for voting to begin! Appreciate your input and it sounds like you’re doing well.
Juan Carlos raised 35,997 votes! Wow!!! I also submitted my application this year and I don’t even think we have 36,000 people in College Station TX. Congratulations Jared and Juan Carlos! Good Luck Laura
Thanks Guys. Seychelle: Yes. Things are going well! Good luck to all of you!
I hope I made it, after reading this it makes me so anxious….. Great post! Fingers Crossed!
The best is yet to come!!
Great post! I am in the top 50 this year and can’t wait to see how many votes I can get and if I will be in the top 30. Excited to meet the other young professionals too 🙂
Jared….great post. I made the top 50 this year (HOLY CRAP!) and you’re right…first feeling was WOW, second feeling was “how in the heck do I mobilize my base to vote?” It’s daunting but I am sincerely looking forward to the challenge. I wish you continued success in your career…congrats!
Thanks for the post Jared! I’ve been fascinated with Realtor Magazine’s 30 under 30 since I got my license in 2005. I am honored to be one of the finalists! Best of luck to everyone.
Hi Everyone! I am glad you liked the post and good luck to all of you!!
Great post…I am so excited about this whole process and having a ton of fun with this voting part as well. What an awesome opportunity for all of us to grow even further.
Great article Jared! I am honored to be one of the semifinalists and had a great time with the voting. It is unbelievable the amount of support that I saw through this process! I’m looking forward to seeing the winner. Good luck to all my fellow semifinalists!
As a 20 year Realtor and wife of a Broker Owner I was excited to read the 30 under 30 article. I allways love the great ideas and vitality young Realtors bring to our industry. I was shocked when I saw this years cover and it looked more like a cover of cosmo. The young men looked very nice in suits and jackets and repesented our industry very well but the women, Oh my! Bare legs and arms tight dresses and in the case of Ms. Sanger the short dress and peeptoe shoes were far too sexy. We women Realtors faught stereotypes and discrimination for too long to not be offended by the use of sex by these two young ladies. The video just reenforced my opinions. Lets keep our focus on selling Real Estate and not on selling sex.
That vile strumpet! You can see her ankles!
@Erin, I found the cover to be in excellent taste, with the subjects wearing current fashions befitting their age. I also get the sense from your tone that, when it comes to real estate and sex, you would have a difficult time selling either.
I found the cover inspiring, really. It’s wonderful to see such energetic, vibrant representatives of the industry. Far too often Realtors are portrayed as some sort of cookie-cuttered middle-aged business person, and it is good to see people bringing youthful energy to selling. I wish I looked as young and as attractive, it would make my job so much easier! That said, however, without calling anyone out specifically, claiming that the attire is improper or seductive is more than likely speaking out of insecurity or envy, and it is woefully inappropriate and insulting to these toothsome Realtors.
It must be hard to go through life as Erin Rivera, seeing hookers and bare arms and toes everywhere you look. I think she’s a little confused, having mixed up the attire of your average street-walker with the Land’s End short-sleeve madras shirt collection.
I cast a vote for Seth Goodman, Lincoln, IL
I cast my vote for Julie Van Pelt.