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October 2007
Index of all
messages
from the Association President
REALTORS® can be ambassadors to the public
By David DeElena
As a REALTOR®, it is always amazing the number of times people ask for my thoughts on the real estate market.
They have a feeling that we have some secret insight that makes our opinion more knowledgeable and therefore more accurate. In most cases, the public is not misled by this perception.
Rep. Morgan Carroll invited me to speak at her September town hall meeting. The topic of discussion was Aurora’s foreclosure rate and ways to impact the issue. Needless to say, I was honored and concerned about being prepared adequately.
The resources available to a REALTOR® appear to be without limit. Staff members at both the Aurora Association of REALTORS® (AAR) and at the Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR) provided me with information that allowed me to become more educated on this vitally important concern.
The 50 or so attendees at the town hall meeting asked some probing questions and sought to calm their worries. The panel brought together by Rep. Carroll responded and provided insight into potential resolutions and contributing factors.
Correcting the image
The media seem to delight in giving the public bad news about the economy, the housing market and foreclosure statistics. The overall feeling resulting from this barrage of information is one that requires a concerted effort to correct.
As many of you will acknowledge, the current market has both challenges and benefits. Several years ago, a buyer wanting to purchase a home for under $150,000 would have had little or no choices. Currently, our market allows that same buyer numerous possibilities and fills the void that left many purchasers without hope. That’s a bit of information you’re not likely to see alongside the doom-and-gloom reports, but it bears repeating – especially to our potential clients.
Access to info
The AAR Board of Directors made a decision recently to provide its REALTOR® members with even more access to information they need to go forward in this market.
Now, the electronic magazine Real Trends will be sent to all members on a weekly basis. The addition of this member benefit gives us an advantage in understanding where the real estate market is headed and how to plan for changes as they occur.
Spreading the word
Additionally, the Association is working with the Denver Newspaper Agency (publisher of the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post) to publish a bi-weekly informational newspaper insert. This publication will allow the REALTOR® community an opportunity to put our side of the story in front of the public. The first issue is scheduled for a mid October release.
The public is seeking answers and often turns to us, the local experts. This makes it more important than ever that we respond appropriately. Resist the impulse to hit the “delete” key and take a few minutes to read the information your Association supplies. Share the good news of the federal and local initiatives that can give homeowners hope. Let those around you know the statistics; we continue to sell homes on a monthly basis. Only when the public knows the good news will we be able to call ourselves “Ambassadors to the Public.” |
