“I am a member of the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors, St. Johns County/St Augustine Board of Realtors, St Augustine Women’s council of Realtors (National Member), the Northeast Florida Builders Association and its Sales and Marketing Council. I am also a member of the Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers, National Association of Mortgage Brokers Certified Mortgage Planning Institute and the Ponte Vedra Rotary. Some of the benefits are meeting people in the same profession as you to share ideas, keeping up to date on legislative and compliance changes, keeping up to date on current events and happenings that affect your market, networking and meeting potential clients and developing mutually beneficial business relationships, and being in a group that has common goals and ideas towards serving others. If one is going to be a true professional in their calling then being a member and being active in industry related groups or associations is a must and it is fun.”
- Matt Daly, Dolphin Home Mortgage.
“Since becoming a Realtor six years ago, I’ve been an active member of the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors. This participation has helped me to get to know many top-notch Realtors and Affiliates. I attend the excellent weekly meetings at the Beaches Council. It allows me to get out in our community as a volunteer on wheelchair ramp builds. I also get to go to great holiday parties, golf outings and social gatherings. I encourage all members of NEFAR to come out and participate. It will enhance the value of the dues paid.”
- Paul Gruenther, Vanguard Realty/GMAC.
“We belong to the Northeast Florida Builders Association, Northeast Florida Association of Realtors and will be signing up with NEFBA’s Sales and Marketing Council first of the year. Associations have many benefits that include networking, discounts on events, keeping up with all building and real estate news and laws that affect our business.”
- Wendy Dennis, TS Dennis Construction.
“I belong to the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors, Florida Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. These organizations offer various benefits, mostly in the form of magazines, discounts for car rentals, and the like. The most important benefit, however, seems to be the lobbying they do for Realtors at both the local and national levels.”
- Ben Walker, Country Club Real Estate of Ponte Vedra.
“I am very involved in the Women’s Council of Realtors. The benefits of joining an association such as the Women’s Council of Realtors are to be a part of a community of real estate professionals and affiliates creating business opportunities, developing skills for the future through education and achieving your individual potential for success.”
- Melissa Matthews, Mercedes Homes.
“I belong to the Amelia Island Nassau County Realtor Association. I do it to enhance my working relationship as an affiliate with the Realtors.”
- Mary Vonnoh, First National Bank of Nassau County.
“As a result of having earned numerous National Association of Realtors recognized designations and the requirement of active membership in the various councils in order to continue to use the designations, I am a dues-paying member of the Council of Certified Real Estate Brokers (CRB), the Council of Residential Specialists (CRS), the Real Estate Buyers Agent Council (ABR, ABRM), the Women’s Council of Realtors(r) (LTG, PMN), and the Certified International Property Specialist Network (CIPS). I also belong to the Accredited Staging Professionals (ASP) network and the Real Estate Cyberspace Society (RECS). There are many benefits to membership in these organizations, among them networking and sharing of information, making new friends throughout the country and the world and, last but definitely not least, referral business I would not otherwise enjoy. When one compares costs to returns, the returns are definitely worth the costs.”
- Elke W. McMenemy, St. Augustine Real Estate.
“I belong to the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. It is a great source for networking. I also belong to both Chapters of the Women’s Council of Realtors including the Jacksonville Chapter and the St. Augustine Chapter. Again, a great source of networking. A special benefit of the St. Augustine WCR is that they offer tuition reimbursement, up to a certain amount, once a year for designation classes after you have been a member for six months.”
- Cammie J. Thomas, Exit Real Estate Gallery.
“I belong to The National Association of Realtors, Northeast Florida Association of Realtors and Florida Association of Realtors. NAR, NEFAR and FAR give me the opportunity to stay current with legislative changes, industry issues and business and professional development. I also belong to the Women’s Council of Jacksonville, Florida and National. The Jacksonville WCR, of which I am 2009 local chapter president, gives me the ability to network with local, state and national members. We focus on education and leadership development.”
- Gwen Templeton, Watson Realty.
“I belong to the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors. The benefit I find is the networking and exchange of ideas. We also receive training on the most up-to-date items involving all facets of real estate as well as leadership training opportunities. I also belong to the Certified Residential Broker. The benefit is the national networking with leading real estate brokers around the nation not only for relocation referrals but for mastermind idea conversations.”
- John R. Barnes, Watson Realty.
“I don’t belong to any real estate associations except the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors so I don’t know the benefits of joining. I mostly try to join things where there are not going to be other Realtors, so I can network and pick up leads. I guess networking with other Realtors would help them want to show your listings! But, I just try to treat other agents with courtesy in my course of business and socialize with non-Realtors. I do belong to NEFAR, but I’m not sure what benefit I get directly from them; more behind the scenes stuff. I know that we have to have some sort of governing body to keep things in order. I’m sure if they did not do a good job things might be a big mess with agents breaking the rules all the time. They hold agents accountable to the rules.”
- Regina Sooey, Watson Realty.
“I belong to St. Augustine Women’s Council of Realtors. In fact, I am the secretary for the upcoming year and the St. Johns County Board of Realtors. The benefits are the networking and keeping up with the ever changing laws. Also, it keeps you up to date on who is where and what the current events/trends are within our county.”
- Della Masters, Sheppard & Sheppard law firm.
“I choose to be a part of the Women’s Council of Realtors. It is a professional group of Realtors and affiliates that make the difference for networking and staying connected to the community. I have belonged to other associations, but this is by far the best place for me to give as well as receive.”
- Lydia Keohane, Access e-Realty.
“I belong to Jacksonville Women’s Council of Realtors, the Northeast Florida Builders Association, The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors and the Executive Association of Jacksonville. I have found some benefit the basic industry associations for networking and training. I find that I am referring a lot of people via the EAJ and personally utilizing their services. I can refer clients to them with confidence that they will be taken care of and know that they will reciprocate. In tough times, it is certainly what you know and there is a lot of weight placed on who you know.”
- David Wakefield, PrimeLending, A PlainsCapital Company.
“I am a Permitted Real Estate Instructor, Certified Residential Specialist Accredited Buyer Representative, EcoBroker, Accredited Land Consultant, Graduate, Realtor Institute and E-Pro. All the certifications, except Graduate, Realtor Institute, require memberships in the Associations. The most valuable benefit to me of belonging to the associations is the education and assess to current, up-to-date info on topics relative the the real estate industry. Second to that benefit are the contacts and network of other professionals who also value to keeping up-to-date in the field.”
- Mary Louise Slaughter, Platt Realty, Inc.