One of the most powerful outcomes of attending an REBarcamp isn’t necessarily attending the many great discussions during the day, but the great conversations and discussions which take place over a beer after the meeting is over. I also believe that REBC – now after experiencing yesterday’s REBCCHI – is the real personification of a virtual tool – a living and breathing example of how Twitter converts 140 characters into 140+ face to face meetings and discussions. Followers carry more weight when they transform from the virtual world to the real world.
For me, the most meaningful discussion took place at the end of the day. Todd Carpenter, NAR’s Social Media Guru, invited the CEO of NAR, Dale Stinton, to share his thoughts and address questions posed by the group. His initial stance was somewhat defensive, however, during his discussion I gained a somewhat different perspective regarding the challenges that NAR is seeking to address and overcome.
NAR’s largest challenges is to address the needs and the ranks of the young professional. Attempts by NAR to try to level the playing field may be difficult because of entitlement issues with older members. Of the 1,500 boards throughout the country, 200 or so wield the most power. Many of the larger, more influential boards may not embrace attempts to level the playing field for younger, more independent brokers. Hence, Dale encouraged everyone to get involved in the boards to influence change.
I think NAR is evolving.
Come the end of 2009, NAR is rolling out two intiatives that have been more than a few years in development:
- RPR – Real Property Repository – to all NAR members, a database consisting of the property attributes including tax records etc. for 70 million properties in the US, allowing members to provide comments and additional information to the unique property description.
- A consumer focused website, equivalent to Realtor.org. It is NAR’s response to providing everything a consumer needs to know about real estate. Again, consumer focused versus member focused.
Timeline again for both is slated for fourth quarter, 2009.
Okay – so now RPR appears to be an almost national MLS, provides data like aggregators and looks like a potential leverage play against Realtor.com.
But why all the fuss about a consumer-faced website?
Well, here was the greatest value of the day for me – a discussion at the bar with @Ericstegemann and the notorious @robhahn taking a step back and taking a look at the big picture. During Dale’s discussion with the group, he mentioned that the REALTOR brand is a Fortune 50 brand worth $4B. But in the big picture, is $4B really impressive considering the size of its membership population of roughly 1.15M?
Do consumers really value the REALTOR brand? Do REALTORs really value the REALTOR brand?
Apparently not. Dale chastised the group for not actively participating and supporting in NAR’s Call for Action. In fact of the 1.15M members, only 7% to 8% actually make the calls to their Congressmen. From Dale’s perspective, NAR is only a 100,000 members strong, not 1.15M.
During the beer infused debate with Rob and Eric, the value of the REALTOR brand is essentially providing bully pulpit status to the average REALTOR, nothing more.
Maybe the biggest issue facing NAR isn’t the growth of the young professional, but the future value of the organization itself. How does NAR increase the value of the REALTOR brand?
This may be the impetus to reaching out to the Consumer directly. By providing a consumer focused website of all things real estate, NAR reaches potentially 70 million homeowners. If the site reaches even 5% of the its intended audience, NAR’s voice reachs 3.5 million people, roughly three times the number of NAR members.
What if 7% of NAR members and 7% of the 3.5 million consumers reach out to Congress? The message is 3.5 fold louder. This begs the question. In the future, how important will the licensed agent be to NAR?
NAR is evolving to survive.
- Building a repository that could possibly compete with a powerful board’s MLS . Could this be a path to leveling the playing field for independents by usurping the power of entitled boards?
- Playing catch-up to technology rivals with a plethora of data – if you can’t beat ’em, change the market dynamics.
- A direct link to the consumer – does this change the mission of NAR to be consumer focused or allow NAR to influence consumers to bring its entitled dinosaurs into the 21st century?
Are these strategies the missing link?
John De Souza says:
Great summary Thomas. That time with Dale was the highlight of the session for me as well. Let’s hope that he really does have the firm grasp on those crucial issues, and that he is up for a fight. He will surely find one from the establishment.
June 16, 2009 — 10:07 am
tony lazzari says:
Thomas~ Great summation and perspective.Dale and NAR do have a tough job ahead but I think their track record lately is showing promise. Some things are happening a bit slowly – 2 years for an interface rollout??? – while support for events like REBarCamp-Chicago is exciting. It was a great venue and great event to continue to build momentum on. Also good to meet you at the event. peace
June 16, 2009 — 10:35 am
John Rowles says:
There is a fine line between “evolving to survive” and looking for a way to justify its existence.
I get the feeling that NAR’s management is in the relative position of someone (Leo?) standing at the bow of the Titantic, watching the iceberg about to rip into the hull of the ship, powerless to change course in time because they aren’t in the wheelhouse.
Rather than face the implications of that, they busy themselves by re-arranging the deck chairs and bracing for the inevitable “thud” when demographics sink the once-mighty ship once and for all.
June 16, 2009 — 10:41 am
Ken brand says:
Nice post. Interesting interaction with the big cheese.
What pops into mind = LEADERSHIP
Isn’t that what it all boils down into. Who’s gonna rally the troops, inspire, conspire, communicate, delegate and make things happen.
Think of all the great leaders and all the cool tools that are available to address, educate, inform and inspire. Where are the videos on youtube, where are his comments in blog-o-sphere. Sounds super cool and in the right direction that he interacted.
Should young guns get involved? Sure, but how about the leader of the old guard kicking some ass and bone breaking some of the calcified.
One things for sure, the world has changed and won’t stop. Hopefully we’ll still be relevant and some bigger, better, faster and well funded 3rd party company with a whiz-bang visionary won’t drink our milk-shake.
June 16, 2009 — 1:09 pm
Thomas Hall says:
@Tony Great to have your comments, thanks. It was a real pleasure meeting you yesterday. Look forward to connecting again soon.
@John I hear you, particularly when only 7 – 8% of NAR’s members simply don’t recognize the lobbying muscle. Is it a lack of relevance or education? I am not a big fan of lobbying – while I struggle with NAR’s relevance, it appears that communication and education may be the best action plan. I did get the distinct feeling that there is attempt to do more than simply rearrange the chairs. Dale did admit that the older guard may not be highly motivated to change – We have seen the enemy and it is us. Well not me, “us” but the other us-es. 😉
@Ken Dale readily admitted the best thing he has done over the past 6 months was to hire @tcar. He may be late to the party, but it seems something is getting through. I think the bottom line message Dale did deliver clearly was this – EVERYONE needs to get involved. If you don’t like what’s happening, stand up and do something.
June 16, 2009 — 2:07 pm
Greg Swann says:
Too bad nobody had the presence of mind to ask the hard questions. Nice to see the ongoing cooptation of REBarCamp by the NAR, though…
June 16, 2009 — 6:53 pm
Thomas Hall says:
Greg – what took you so long? 😉 What hard questions would you have posed?
June 16, 2009 — 8:38 pm
Greg Swann says:
> What hard questions would you have posed?
How about this one?: “Hey, Dale, when a seller pays a listing agent to pay the buyer’s agent a bonus, whose interests does the seller think the buyer’s agent is defending?”
Or how about this?: “Hey, Dale, exactly how much theft from innocent taxpayers will be enough for the NAR?”
Or this?: “Dale, buddy, I see you as being the modern-day equivalent of Al Capone, appropriately situated in Chicago. Is it your actual claim that that the cause of the putative failure of your crime syndicate is that not enough decent people have soiled themselves in your behalf?”
Or this?: “Dale, I can’t for the life of me understand why you would fear a live audience of folks more concerned with being nice than being right, but I understand completely why you and your entire cadre of babbling Babbitts avoid the controversies at BloodhoundBlog — lurking in vast numbers but never daring to speak out. But here’s the question, Dale: If you actually have answers for the issues being raised by Greg Swann and now Brian Brady — what are they? If the co-broke is anything other than sub-agency in camouflage, what is it? If buyers are equal to sellers in real estate transactions, why do MLS rules require that so many secrets are to be kept from buyers? Dale, old buddy, if you actually have answers for these question, how about you trot them out so we can look them over.”
I could go on for three years — as, in fact, I have.
June 16, 2009 — 10:35 pm
Don Reedy says:
Thomas, there is no “missing link.”
Unlike the real conversation that rocks the religious and scientific world regarding Darwin, the genesis of NAR withstands any attempt to be anything but a “creation.”
From Realestatezing.com the following:
“The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is one of the largest trade associations in the US with a strong membership of over 1.3 million realtors. Established on May 12, 1908 under the name “National Association of Real Estate Exchanges in Chicago, Illinois, with just 120 founding members, it has gone through a lot of changes over the years. In the year 1916, it was renamed as National Association of Real Estate Boards, which again was changed in 1974 to its present name, “National Association of Realtors”. In the year 1913, the Code of Ethics was adopted, which in later years have become the driving force to ensure fair practices in real estate transactions throughout the US. The idea behind the creation of a national realtors association was to bring unity among the professional real estate people of America, to provide knowledge, facilities and technical know-how and to give a homogeneous shape to the real estate industry all through the country. In order to maintain the right to own real estate property and to ensure free enterprise system, the national realtor association has provided a forum among its members and also to the general public and government for exchange of information, research and professional development. The basic aim of NAR is to safeguard the interests of real estate professionals as well as property owners by making it mandatory for its members to strictly follow the National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics in every real estate transaction.”
You asked a simple question, that being, “A direct link to the consumer – does this change the mission of NAR to be consumer focused or allow NAR to influence consumers to bring its entitled dinosaurs into the 21st century?”
Clearly NAR was created for the purpose of, and with the mission of, protecting its members. Consumer focus was never the reason for this “creation.”
I cast my vote for the latter of your hypotheses, that being that NAR will attempt to influence consumers to bring themselves (the dinosaur) into the 21st century.
Then, Thomas, I take to heart your comment that “EVERYONE needs to get involved. If you don’t like what’s happening, stand up and do something.” For me, an amoeba if you will, the option as to that involvement is clear. I think I have a better chance of creating that which needs to be done by working outside NAR, staying out of the tar pit long enough to help create a new species of NAR, actually brought into existence FOR the benefit of the customer.
“…..the genesis of NAR withstands any attempt to be anything but a “creation.” NAR will not evolve, because it’s genetic makeup has never changed. It is an organization all about itself.
June 16, 2009 — 9:18 pm
Tim Shepard says:
I’m not convinced that NAR’s aggregation of power is in the best interests of individual Realtors, buyer’s or seller’s.
Look at the inefficiencies and lack of local control that occurs when our federal government assumes more and more power from states and municipalities.
The transfer of power from 200 brokers will inevitably bequeath to a group of a dozen or so very powerful CEO’s and Board of Director’s. Is this what we really want?
NAR’s own data suggest that the majority of buyers use the internet as an integral part of their home search. How is it in my best interests for NAR to create a super site, with brand recognition, and direct real estate traffic there?
If this happens, there are just too many potential business models that NAR could undertake that could seriously damage our businesses.
In my opinion, the internet has leveled the playing field for new realtors in the business. The old dinosaurs are dying and the new movers and shakers are the younger, tech savvy realtors.
The internet is making the old adage “You have to List to Last” obsolete. In the past 10 years, there has been a proliferation of “super” buyers agents because of the exposure we gain on the net. Buyer’s are much better served as they are much more likely to have someone representing them instead of both sides. Seller’s benefit because their properties are advertised by more realtors.
For me, decrease the power of NAR, let the local boards handle their own matters. I was always told to be careful for what I asked for, because I might get it.
I say, lets be careful!
June 16, 2009 — 11:27 pm
Jessica Horton says:
Run…..
June 17, 2009 — 7:16 am
Dylan Darling says:
Real estate is local. Each city, area, and/or state is different. NAR’s new website isn’t going to give buyers the local statistics and knowledge that they want. Individual websites will still capture most internet leads.
June 17, 2009 — 7:33 am
Thomas Hall says:
@Don – great thoughts – I am of the same opinion in terms of creating another organization independent of NAR simply because I believe culturally it will be very, very difficult to change the mindset to embrace a diverse set of business models. This issue is what prompted my earlier post questioning whether a licensed agent branded as a REALTOR can truly be a consumer advocate.
@Greg – if local boards define rules of compensation within their own MLS’ what specifically do think NAR should/can do to influence the issue of sub-agency compensation? I got a very different vibe from Dale than I would have expected. While I am not a big fan of NAR, I sense that the issue lies primarily within the local boards – the adversity to change is at all levels, but when it comes to compensation etc, it becomes a very local issue.
@Tim – I believe your prophecy is actually reality today. The 200 largest boards do have undue influence on NAR creating a barrier to making change. NAR in of itself has many of the old guard so I am not wholly convinced it is capable of embracing change but then again Dale said, if you want change get involved.
@Jessica – surely you can do better than “run” 😉
@Dylan – I believe you are correct – the consumer facing website may not provide the data, however, RPR may be the other piece.
June 17, 2009 — 7:54 am
Greg Swann says:
> when it comes to compensation etc, it becomes a very local issue.
Oh, yes, of course. That would explain why it’s the same everywhere.
But let’s stipulate the point. Is it your claim that the NAR could not forevermore foreswear its life of crime and become instead an advocate for the actual rights of private property owners? Is it your contention that the local boards would hold out for their criminal prerogatives without the protective cover provided by the NAR?
June 17, 2009 — 8:02 am
Thomas Hall says:
@Greg – Not sure you answered my question. For NAR to gain legtimacy regarding compensation, how COULD it make an impact? I don’t accept the answer that it won’t or can’t – blue sky this one – how?
While I may not be quite on board agreeing with the criminal intentions of NAR, I do believe we are on the same side of the issue.
That said, there is no doubt that NAR is a trade organization which serves the needs of its members. The question becomes do consumers recognize the legitimacy of the brand? If not, NAR has no choice but to reach out to consumers otherwise as Don and John Rowles suggested in an earlier post, independent minded brokers/agents form their own consumer-focused organization, which I believe is inevitable.
June 17, 2009 — 8:44 am
Greg Swann says:
> For NAR to gain legtimacy regarding compensation, how COULD it make an impact?
You’re kidding me, yes? The NAR is here every day, lurking like the lunkheads they are. If they took my position on the co-broke and hammered on it every day, the whole nasty business would be dead in a year. If the NAR became totally crime-free — by my standards — and if it held every member organization to those same standards, our entire industry would be something to be proud of in a year’s time.
The reason the NAR will perish is that it will not learn from its mistakes.
June 17, 2009 — 8:18 pm
Michael Cook says:
“Or how about this?: “Hey, Dale, exactly how much theft from innocent taxpayers will be enough for the NAR?”
“Is it your actual claim that that the cause of the putative failure of your crime syndicate is that not enough decent people have soiled themselves in your behalf?”
You missed your calling as a stand up comedian. Obviously, it will take some work on the delivery, but just imagining you in the audience standing up asking this in a dead pan and honest sort of way is in a word, hiliarious. Second career as a political writer would have also been great.
Is it just me or does this first website sound a lot like Zillow.com, but 5 years too late???
I always get scared when the NAR start “teaching” consumers. If after the wonderful ads of 2007/8 of “Its a great time to buy or sell” didnt leave buyer pissed off beyond believe, I am sure the monthly NAR forecasts of how great the real estate market truly is will drive lots of great traffic. I have a name for the site, if it doesnt already have one. How about http://www.gulliblesucker.com?
When the NAR starts being truthful about the real estate market and starts arguing for at least some of the changes Greg suggests, then they can call themselves friends of consumers. Until then, they are only kidding themselves and their members into thinking consumer trust anything that comes out of their mouths.
June 17, 2009 — 9:45 am
James Boyer says:
Interesting thoughts Thomas. I think NAR is going to have a hard time being relevant until they start getting a good number of the blue hairs who currently control the decisions out of those possitions.
June 17, 2009 — 11:00 am
Teri Lussier says:
>Do consumers really value the REALTOR brand? Do REALTORs really value the REALTOR brand?
Apparently not. Dale chastised the group for not actively participating and supporting in NAR’s Call for Action. In fact of the 1.15M members, only 7% to 8% actually make the calls to their Congressmen. From Dale’s perspective, NAR is only a 100,000 members strong, not 1.15M.
So what you are saying is that neither consumers nor younger Realtors see value in the NAR? Not much of a problem from where I’m sitting. So much easier to supplant…
June 17, 2009 — 11:56 am
Doug Francis says:
NAR is facing an issue that all Professional Associations are facing right now. In the past, they were the central focus for the membership to discuss problems and debate issues. Today, members come to BloodhoundBlog.
The Association world has been turned upside down, and it is nice to read about NAR’s efforts to reinvent itself.
June 17, 2009 — 6:03 pm
Bill Lublin says:
Thomas; Sorry I didn’t get to speak with you at #Rebcchi, and your take on Dale’s comments is interesting but I do think you might be misinterpreting the comment about the “call to action”. What Dale was doing was pointing out that if we don’t all support legislative efforts, and laws are passed that are detrimental to our profession, then its our fault for failing to mobilize our membership. And yes, I agree with you that its probably a matter of education.
I think you might be misinterpreting the Forbes 50 comment as well. If the REALTOR brand is one of the 50 most valuable in the country, it is by definition a strong brand.
The 200 large boards, are not necessarily “the establishment” and in any case, there ar e856 Directors (in addition to the executive xommittee and the rest of the leadership team, so the chances that the organization will fall into the hands of a few individuals is sort of silly.
And finally, I applaud your recognition that in order to effect change, you need to be active in the organization. I am amazed that some of the comments indicate a belief that writing here (or on any blog) is going to create a new organization that is somehow different from the existing Trade organization that took 101 years to reach its current size. (On a historical note, I would point out that there were many Non-REALTOR organizations that tried to rival NAR over the years without gaining any traction.
Would have loved to participate in your conversation with Eric and Rob, good friends and smart guys, but with limited knowledge about the workings of the organization – (which certainly would not have stopped the 4 of us from having a terrific conversation!- maybe next time!)
June 17, 2009 — 7:50 pm
Tom Vanderwell says:
Tom,
The only thing that I have to add to this conversation is this…..
I wish I had been on your side of the bar because I would have really enjoyed listening in to your and Eric and Rob’s conversation…..
Tom
June 17, 2009 — 8:08 pm
Don Reedy says:
Bill,
“I am amazed that some of the comments indicate a belief that writing here (or on any blog) is going to create a new organization that is somehow different from the existing Trade organization that took 101 years to reach its current size. (On a historical note, I would point out that there were many Non-REALTOR organizations that tried to rival NAR over the years without gaining any traction.”
I actually stopped when I read this and went to your web site to make sure you had the credentials to say this. And what I mean by credentials is someone who has actually seen the way the world of “trade organizations” has evolved.
Much to my delight I see that you are from (I believe) the Philly area. Although I have lived in Southern California for over thirty years, I grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, which at the time was both one of the steel meccas on this continent, and also “Murder City USA” according to Time Magazine.
I watched, and I really think I can make this claim, one of the largest, most powerful industries, (and by that I mean the Steelworker’s Union), go to their death in just a few years’ time. They did this by failing to see that their interest was subordinate to the interests of the customer, i.e. everyone who purchased steel and the derivatives of steel. The demise of the Steelworker’s Union brought down many of my relatives and friends, and taught me a lesson I am going to at least communicate to you.
Let’s get a history lesson.
“The discovery of steel: 11th century BC
By the 11th century BC it has been discovered that iron can be much improved. If it is reheated in a furnace with charcoal (containing carbon), some of the carbon is transferred to the iron. This process hardens the metal; and the effect is considerably greater if the hot metal is rapidly reduced in temperature, usually achieved by quenching it in water.
The new material is steel. It can be worked (or ‘wrought’) just like softer iron, and it will keep a finer edge, capable of being honed to sharpness. Gradually, from the 11th century onwards, steel replaces bronze weapons in the Middle East, birthplace of the Iron Age. It becomes essential, from now on, to have a good steel blade rather than a soft and indifferent one.
Bill, I used this quote about steel for two purposes. The first is to let you know that 101 years is pretty insignificant. The second is to quote the last sentence, which actually translates pretty accurately to the dilemma NAR finds itself in today. “It becomes essential, from now on, to have a good steel blade rather than a soft and indifferent one.
Would Carl Sandburg have written this about NAR?
Hog butcher for the world,
Tool maker, stacker of wheat,
Player with railroads and the nation’s freight handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of big shoulders.
This is purely rhetoric. The answer……is “No.”
June 17, 2009 — 8:41 pm
Tim Shepard says:
“The 200 large boards, are not necessarily “the establishment” and in any case, there ar e856 Directors (in addition to the executive xommittee and the rest of the leadership team, so the chances that the organization will fall into the hands of a few individuals is sort of silly.”
NAR’s membership is 1.15M. There are 856 directors. The chances that the organiziation will fall into the hands of a few individuals is not silly but reality.
The only thing that is left is for the transfer of power from brokers to these directors.
June 17, 2009 — 8:58 pm
Thomas Hall says:
@Bill – I too am sorry we didn’t connect at REBCCHI, for sure in the near future!
I am not sure I misinterpreted Dale’s comments regarding Call to Action or the value of the Realtor brand. GM and Xerox are strong brands but neither appear to be relevant brands, there in lies the issue.
If there is a perception that the brand is not relevant, neither members nor consumers feel obligated to “buy-in”, hence the low participation in Calls to Action.
I am not sure consumers necessarily value a brand without market context, meaning there is no competition currently with NAR. Many subscribe – as do I – that competition may not be a bad thing.
June 17, 2009 — 10:58 pm
Brian Brady says:
“I am amazed that some of the comments indicate a belief that writing here (or on any blog) is going to create a new organization that is somehow different from the existing Trade organization that took 101 years to reach its current size”
Bill, with all due respect, this sounds a lot like something a UAW boss would have said 12-18 months ago.
I don’t think agents need ANY organization; just compete
June 18, 2009 — 8:21 am
Dave Barnes says:
As a consumer, I value REALTOR at zero$.
I see nothing in it for me.
June 18, 2009 — 8:25 am
Thomas Hall says:
@ DaveB Thanks for joining in the conversation. While I respect all who have chimed in, your comment – most of all – speaks volumes. When a consumer doesn’t see the value, it is simply not relevant.
June 18, 2009 — 9:22 am
Rebecca Levinson says:
Not only do consumers not see the value in NAR (let alone do many really know about it to begin with our care to), many shy away from real estate agents (FSBO) or when they engage with real estate agents, are scared to ask informational questions.
Why is this?
Why do consumers, when engaging and signing with a real estate agent, brace for the worst and hope for the best?
I can only liken the sentiment I have heard from consumer’s mouths much like that of friends who tell you they will be visiting a dentist’s office. None are excited, just resigned.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T…, it’s the tune any professional should crave to hear a consumer sing, yet more consumers are not looking for a song, just some novocaine so they can bear through the experience of the real estate transaction. They are the ones who feel the sting, the professional is supposed to be just that, a professional who bears not those same emotions, cannot bear those same emotions really.
I don’t know about real estate, I know of real estate. I don’t often talk at consumers, but I ask questions and listen every chance I get.
And this seems to be what most tell me.
June 18, 2009 — 9:42 am
Bill Lublin says:
Don; Great analogy (and I relate to the Youngstown reference being so close to Bethlehem PA)and I understand the point you make about the steelworker’s union – though the issue there was their collective bargaining power whixh was used to the benefit of the members and the detriment of their industry (much like the UAW situation today). I’m not sure that NAR is a similar entity (with all due respect to the analogy), since it has nothing to do with fees or compensation, and has members with lots and lots of different business models – in addition, its members interface directly with consumers, and not with management (as in the case of the trade unions) so free market economics are not affected.
In regard to the 101 years, its not long in comparison to many things, but its a long time in the lives of men or women, and still poses a daunting challenge to short circuit the growth attained by NAR in that time –
As far as the Sandburg poem – I love the guy , and love the quote, but its about a city, not a trade association, so while I appreciate the read, I’m not sure about the point. I appreciate the response and the thoughts however.
Tim: The members have the ability ot elect the local and state associations who appoint the 865 directors. NAR is operated on republican principals where the representatives act on the part of their consituency, If someone abrogates their right to serve or to participate in the selection process, they have transferred power- though in a bad way. Those that have participated have wielded their power in the appropriate manner
Tom; I understand your point about relevance and wouldn’t disagree. To me the Calls to Action are revlevant because they are generally items that will benefit my business, and therefore I support the group who is trying to help my business. If other members don’t buy into that relevance, and their businesses are negatively effected, then, as Dale said “shame on ya”. But I agree that relevance is a different, and personal issue. And please, next time we see each other on a ReBarCamp RSVP list, let’s make an effort before hand to hook up during the event. I’ve really enjoyed the post and the respectful tenor of the post and the responses proving that we can disagree without contention.
Brian; NAR is a trade association, and the only organization that lobbys for my industry, procvides legal action assistance to members and associations as legal issues are fought across the country, provides a code of ethics with arbitration between members to avoid costly, drawn out litigation, and acts as a voice for the various specialities in the real estate industry. With all due respect, the issue is more than competition between agents –
June 18, 2009 — 3:34 pm