By Carole Hawkins, [email protected]
What does a recovering housing market look like in Northeast Florida?
More than 300 Realtors barely squeezing into a conference room that just a year ago held the occasional empty seat.
The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors swore in new officers and celebrated industry superstars at its January general meeting.
After years of slim profits, the industry is strong once again.
Last year was the best year for the Northeast Florida market since 2006, outgoing NEFAR president Sally Suslak said. Home sales are up. Short sales are virtually a thing of the past.
NEFAR reached new milestones in 2015.
The organization formed a reciprocal agreement with St. Johns County to have access to each other’s Supra lockboxes. The move enabled Realtors across jurisdictions to show listings without jumping through hoops or paying additional costs.
NEFAR’s charitable bass tournament raised $35,265 for Haven Hospice.
The association’s political action committee reached a participation level of 35 percent of all members.
This was not an easy thing to do, Suslak said, because participation had dropped into the teens.
A rebounding real estate market has brought back opportunity, but the profession still faces risks, new president Terrell Newberry said.
Technology makes it easier for people to buy and sell homes without Realtors.
Newberry asked members to take a message forward to the other 6,000 Realtors in the region: Realtors can remain relevant through professionalism.
In the same way people use Legal Zoom to have documents prepared, but contact a lawyer when they need real legal advice, a well-trained, professional Realtor brings expertise to real estate transactions.
This means:
• Filing out listing agreements thoroughly, anticipating future hurdles. Don’t just fill in the blanks, Newberry said. Counteroffer with a corrected contract when an inexperienced Realtor sends an offer that’s filled out in an amateurish way.
• Always staying ahead of expiring timeframes. Don’t wait for buyers or sellers to remind you when your listing is expiring, Newberry said.
• Providing great communication, fast responses and knowledgeable answers.
“Make your customers know why you deserve the commission you’re being paid,” Newberry said. “Please provide a service that cannot be replaced with software.”
Newberry appeared before NEFAR members in a wheelchair. Doctors last month feared he had suffered a heart attack, but it wasn’t so. A diagnosis is still pending.
Though Newberry’s health wasn’t in top form, his sense of humor was.
He opened his address by reading from a script he had written just a week earlier.
“I hope everyone is enjoying the event. I’m sorry I can’t be with you today. But I’m on the road to recovery from a sudden illness.
“Well, we proved that wrong,” he said.
Newberry thanked everyone who stood in support of him at the meeting and he commended NEFAR members for holding each other to high standards every day.
“I’m so proud to be part of this community. I appreciate all of you,” he said.