Putting Real Estate in its Proper Perspective

Q:  Is there a refresher course available on Convio?  We want to increase RPAC contributions and Call to Action involvement – what can we do to achieve this?

A:  This a great question. Increasing participation in political advocacy is a goal we all should pursue, and using Convio is a great way to do it.

The number of associations using the shared grassroots software from Convio (formerly called GetActive) now stands at 261, including 43 state associations. Convio enables associations to send unlimited advocacy email and other electronic publications to members, and allows members to send personal letters to their lawmakers. We also have brokerage companies working with NAR who also send their agents NAR’s Calls for Action with a message from a company executive.

If you are interested in using the software, or if you need additional training, please call Rick Miller in NAR’s Washington, D.C. office at 202/383-1107.

Q:  Why does NAR want to start a credit union?

A:  This initiative is one of 13 bold new initiatives that were approved by NAR’s Board of Directors this past May. It will offer financial services to members at the lowest possible cost. It also will allow us to offer retirement accounts and health savings accounts. 

The REALTOR® credit union will be a nonprofit, cooperative financial institution owned and run by a volunteer board elected by its members, providing the same services to REALTORS® that are available to 84 million other Americans through their places of work.

NAR will finance the credit union’s start-up, which is a costly, multi-year regulatory approval process. However, the credit union will finance its own operations once it is up and running.

Q:  What is NAR doing to encourage young leaders at the national level?

A:  We all know that one of the most important ingredients to the future success of our associations is bringing up a diverse group of new leaders. Earlier this year, NAR launched a new Leadership Academy that is designed to train the next generation of NAR leaders.

The Leadership Academy is a nine-month, five-stage training and development program that is structured around national meetings. Ideal candidates include REALTOR® members who have served in leadership roles at the local and state level, but who have not yet been actively involved in leadership positions at NAR. We accepted 25 applicants into the 2008 class, which attended its first class in conjunction with the Leadership Summit this past August.
 
For more information on the program and how you can apply for the 2009 Leadership Academy, visit www.realtor.org/AESubs.nsf/pages/LeadAcademy.

Q:  Where is technology taking the real estate business?

A:  This is a tough question. Technology is constantly changing — it seems like if you stop thinking about it for even a minute, you will fall behind. 

According to Mark Lesswing, NAR’s Chief Technology Officer, we are on the verge of the next phase of real estate — or as he likes to call it, Real Estate 2.0. In the next three to five years, consumers are going to decide which vendors to talk to, when they communicate and how. To succeed, we have to play by their rules.

Realtors will need to use technology to market, communicate and transact business in real-time.  You can already see some of this happening in the recent upgrades to Realtor.com, where consumers can put a "widget" on their desktop and look at properties when it’s convenient for them.  That’s real-time marketing that puts the consumer in control. Technology also is making it easier to update MLS data more frequently, giving consumers real-time information. And through customer relationship management, we are getting closer to real-time transaction.

The Center for Realtor Technology is the best resource to help you compete in a Real Estate 2.0 world.

In fact, I recently asked the folks from the Center for Realtor Technology to visit my office in Grand Rapids to look at the way we are using technology and to help us move forward. 

It has been a great learning experience. To get all of the insights and advice you need for your businesses, just visit www.realtor.org/technology. 

Q:  How can we use the Public Awareness Campaign to make the most of the added value a REALTOR® can bring in troubled housing markets?

A: I am excited to tell you that NAR is working on a new series of print ads that will run in major newspapers in select metro areas across the country. The ads are designed to draw attention to the positive aspects of some markets with pent-up buyer demand and encourage potential buyers to talk to a REALTOR® for more information on the great opportunities out there to purchase a home.

The ads will run twice — on November 4th and November 11th — in the following cities: Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Sacramento, St. Louis, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, and Washington, D.C. The ads will also run in USA Today on November 2nd and November 9th.

We also are developing some exciting new commercials for the 2008 Public Awareness Campaign. Check www.realtor.org/awarenesscampaign in January 2008 for more information on our new ads and where they will run.