This year’s YPN Advisory Board session at the annual REALTORS® Legislative Meetings was standing room only as board members discussed the strides the network has made in the areas of advocacy, growth, brand, and events. Before the committee started discussing the Young Professionals Network’s recent accomplishments and upcoming events, NAR President Leslie Rouda Smith and President-elect Kenny Parcell gave short …
Justify Your Existence
By Sam DeBord Changes in technology are creating questions about the future roles of real estate associations, MLSs, and brokerages. As a result, REALTOR® association leaders have been increasingly focused on defining our value to members. A good friend of mine, who was an engineer at Apple, used to recount Steve Jobs’ version of this value-seeking process. He’d walk into …
Three Leadership Takeaways
John is president-elect for the Clark County Association of REALTORS® in Vancouver, Wash. This post is the second entry in a series sharing his experiences in that role. By John Blom When elected president for a state or local board, the “presidential year” really kicks off in August with the National Association of REALTORS® Leadership Summit in Chicago. The two-day …
The REALTOR® Value Proposition: Do You Have an Elevator Pitch?
By Sam DeBord This week I’m in Washington, D.C., for the REALTOR® Party Conference & Expo, and it got me thinking: Some of the most interesting committees I’ve worked with lately have focused on a range of issues surrounding the value proposition for the REALTOR® brand. From a communications audit at our local board to a state/NAR combined idea building …
NAR/Realtor.com® Agreement Part 1: Displaying Unlisted New Homes & New Home Communities
By Sam DeBord The National Association of REALTORS® recently voted to approve updates to its operating agreement with realtor.com® and allow more flexibility for the Web site. There has been a wide range of reactions from REALTORS®. This blog is part one of my five-part series in which I will discuss the propriety of the agreement. Let’s start with some …
NAR Committees 101
By Nobu Hata Preconceived notions I had of an NAR committee aside, this would be my third Midyear and my first year serving on any committee, and I was bound and determined to make the best of it. I was appointed to the Equal Opportunity/Diversity Committee, and my knee-jerk reaction was essentially a surprise-surprise-throw-the-asiandude-on-the-most-predictable-committee-possible one. Even better: There were a …
Midyear: Get It? Got It? Good!
By Toby Boyce As I flew home from the Midyear Meetings, quite a few things were rolling through my head. Like, why did the engines just get really quiet? I apologize, self-preservation mode there for a second. Now back to our originally scheduled programming. This year’s Midyear was my induction into a national event — and I must say, I’m …
For the Members, By the Members.
By Nobu Hata Much has been made the last couple of weeks about two online “conversations” that permeated the real estate socialwebs. One, an “Open Letter to NAR President Vicki Cox Golder” regarding the disconnect between us REALTORS® and NAR Leadership. The other, the need for professional standards within our industry — the conversation raged among a handful of practitioners …