I received an email from the Georgia Association of Realtors (GAR) the other day. It was the first time I had ever received such correspondence. For years I have railed against GAR and local realty Boards for not being able to articulate their value added message. I just didn’t get it. But with this new email, I was starting to see a clearer picture.
While the overall tone of the email was obviously very pro Board membership, it did finally serve up the elusive, “five greatest points of value” to REALTOR membership. As I re-read the list over and over, I couldn’t help but be overcome with what one can only describe as sadness. It was not that I didn’t understand the “greatest points”—I did. And, it wasn’t that GAR was doing a poor job articulating the message—the email was incredibly heartfelt and sincere. As a matter of fact it was the email’s gut-wrenching sincerity playing against a backdrop of actual reality that made the email seem; otherworldly. Maybe more like a “letter” from another time.
The first of the “greatest points” was what the author called associating with the “best of the best”. It strongly made the case an agent is greatly benefited from being associated with “the best”. And, as the email points out, REALTORS are the “best of the best”. It was an impassioned plea that offered both encouragement and indoctrination into the collective mind-set of what being “the best” means. The problem with this message; it’s woefully out of touch with reality.
I have stood in rooms filled with REALTORS and heard similar speeches before. But, aside from the speaker, no one in the audience believed it. It takes nothing to become one of “the best”. Pay your dues and you are in. There are no milestones, no metrics or any standards whatsoever. Pay the $400 a year Board dues and you are “the best”. Hearing that I stood in a room with “the best of the best” and knowing at least half dozen agents in the room, where in fact, terrible agents, makes GAR’s number one “greatest” point kind of laughable. We weren’t the best, we were simply a group of people who all paid the $400 bucks. We were nothing more, nothing less. I don’t doubt the speaker, who has been drinking this kool-aid for so long, really did believe in what he is saying. But, I can assure you, the audience did not.
Another of the “greatest points” that jumped off the page was “networking”. I am not entirely sure what the author meant by “networking”. But, considering a large segment of today’s Realtors think myspace.com is old school networking, I doubt there is much agreement. Armed with dozens of social networking sites, user groups, and online communities, I really doubt many people under 45 would consider GAR as a viable networking partner. Why would they? I remember years and years ago networking opportunities meant passing out business cards in some hotel ballroom while drinking screw-cap wine and eating low-grade cheese. Does GAR really think that is the way “networking” is done today?
Two other areas the email highlighted as part of the “greatest points” were: “education and resources”. I have absolutely no knowledge or experience with GAR’s education and or their resources. I am sure they provide in this regard. But again, the Internet provides hundreds of ways I can get both education and resources for FREE. And, if GAR was really a good source of information in these areas, I would have learned or heard about them from any number of other user communities I am associated with. Perhaps the value is there, but at the very least it has a low “word-of-mouth” quotient within the electronic community.
The final “greatest point” identified in the email was “advocacy”. It is hard to argue with this point. It is also equally hard to care about it either. Congressional tax utilization, extensions to appropriations bills and other forms of financial reform are all valid endeavors but not that relatable to your average sales agent. If you are part-time sales agent, how excited can you really get over political turf wars? Annual Board dues of over $400 dollars a year are basically $35.00 a month. For that kind of money, I can take my wife/husband to lunch once a month. I can give the kids a pizza party once a month. I can have the car detailed once a month. The point being, I can do any number of things for myself and my family that are far more immediately beneficial than say, paying political lobbyists. Most agents will readily agree with the concept of political advocacy. However, most will also say; “not on my dime”.
Perhaps it’s just me, but I always thought advocacy projects should be funded by the corporate offices of national brokerages and or those agents who voluntarily contribute to the cause. “Voluntarily” being the operative word. Then again, the Board system isn’t exactly big on being voluntary. What would Board membership be if it wasn’t forced down the throats of local agents by their Brokers’ franchise agreements?
From this recent email it certainly appears like the 20-teens version of GAR will be pretty much the same as the 1970’s version of GAR. The “greatest points” don’t seem to take into consideration any changes in culture or attitudes since the 1970s. And, I guess that is why I always had trouble with understanding GAR’s mission. Surely, they can’t still be serving up the same 3 decade-old rhetoric. Well, now I finally understand they are pushing the same stale message. And, this is where my sense of sadness comes from.
It reminds me of Willie Mays. I, like millions, idolized him. But, when he came back and played his final year with the New York Mets, he was terrible. He was sad to watch. It was embarrassing. Time had passed him by and no one could tell the great Willie Mays he was no longer useful and it was time move on. I am guessing GAR had its day. Perhaps not at the level of idolization Willie had, but at least they were well known. And, if you can’t keep up with the times you have get to get out of the way. Trying to work against time and hang on to past glories never works. Just ask Willie.
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