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Published by the CIPS Network of the National Association of REALTORS®
Fourth Quarter 2006
Away from the Melting Pot
By Ruth Krinke, CIPS, CRS, GRI, TRC
The United States has long been known as a cultural melting pot. For more than a century, immigrants arrived on our shores with the goal of quickly assimilating into U.S. culture. Family names were often changed to be more “American” and parents insisted that only English be spoken in the home.
At the same time, the American economy was coming to depend on readily available and inexpensive labor—supplied to a great degree by the latest immigrant groups—supporting the shift from an agrarian society to an industrial one. This practice continues today, but largely through undocumented aliens. Typically, legal immigrants to the U.S. today are well educated, financially sound, and/or highly skilled. It is estimated that approximately 11 million undocumented aliens are living in the U.S. today, filling the jobs that fuel the country’s economic engine.
Recently, many major U.S. cities have witnessed peaceful rallies in support of undocumented workers. It is a complex issue and, although many Americans are conflicted about what is the right thing to do, most agree that something must be done. Immigration issues are not the sole province of the United States—France, for example, is dealing with significant employment issues within its Muslim populations.
But, what about the melting pot?
Among the issues related to immigrant rights questions is the fact that many U.S. immigrants no longer wish to assimilate into a blended culture. Most of today’s immigrants—whether legal or illegal —wish to maintain their own cultural identities within the melting pot. The very concept of the blended culture, therefore, has begun to evaporate. I’ve heard new analogies made, including (sticking with the food theme), a “buffet of cultures,” and “a salad of distinct vegetables where the dressing is what holds us together.” Only time will tell how this sorts itself out, but it does raise some interesting issues for organized real estate—in the U.S. and elsewhere.
In recent years, NAR has begun to inform its members about the huge impact immigrants have on the U.S. housing market—through research reports, the development of state-specific market reports on immigrant populations, and the creation of sales meeting training tools aimed at dispersing this information at the grassroots level. The message primarily—and appropriately—targets the melting pot-blended REALTOR® like me, a person of European origin with deep U.S. roots. We are the group that has the most to lose if we don’t hear the message and develop our business plans accordingly.
The future is now
I believe, however, that we are not yet effectively getting this message out. Ask anyone who has worked an NAR International booth at a U.S. industry trade show. Often, when the subject of the CIPS designation, the WorldProperties.com Web site, or the wide array of NAR International resources, is introduced, the response is “Oh I don’t need that; my market isn’t like that.” It’s as if these attendees think global markets pertain to their grandchild’s realty business—to be realized in the future. I know I’m preaching to the choir when I say the future is now.
The impact of the new immigrant, and the growth of ethnic communities retaining strong ethnic and cultural roots within domestic markets, is only to going to grow! Let’s acknowledge that both the growth of domestic ethnic communities and the failure of many members to understand its impact on their business are widespread phenomena. Then, let’s ask what more can be done to focus on the unique, ethnic or cultural groups that comprise the buying and selling public? How do we educate members about culture-specific transaction needs? And what can be done to identify and highlight best practices regarding marketing, managing the transaction, closing the deal, and ensuring these clients refer future business?
Ethnic focus at REALTORS® Conference
I’m pleased to report that, for the REALTOR® Conference education program this November in New Orleans, NAR International has organized two sessions—one focusing on Hispanic markets and the other on Asian markets. Both sessions concentrate on doing business in these markets—at home and abroad—and are designed to provide practical, take-home information in a dynamic format that encourages networking with colleagues and topic experts.
Mindful of the balance between addressing the professional interests of ethnic groups and helping the rest of our membership understand how to market to and effectively serve associated consumer groups, these programs will be centered on business and market development. NAR’s Housing and Cultural Diversity Group continues to focus on the professional interests of our diverse membership. I will continue to follow their work with great interest. One of the stated goals for 2007 of incoming NAR President Pat Vredevoogd Combs is to increase the diversity of the REALTOR® organization leadership—at all levels, a good compliment to the business focus of NAR International.
If the response to these new programs is positive, we will advocate that they be formally organized as NAR Forums. This means that volunteer leadership will be appointed and the Forums will become a regular part of the Annual and Midyear meeting schedules. I hope to see many of you at these sessions next month. Both the Hispanic and Asian market programs are scheduled for Sunday, November 12. Check your program on site for times and locations.
Let’s Pass it On!
I am very excited about this new programming initiative. I encourage all foreign partner associations to consider what application this might have in their individual markets. I believe it is most appropriate for international specialists to take a leadership role in addressing the domestic ethnic and cultural traditions of buying and selling consumers, and to explore how they relate to the bottom line, business objectives of all association members.
With this focus in mind, I believe we can successfully address a wide mix of cultural interests without risking a loss of cultural uniqueness by blending them altogether into a single melting pot.
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