Before We Get Started
I know that no matter how positive I think this campaign is, people will take this opportunity to take one more shot at NAR. No Association, company or person is perfect and often times the Association’s blunders are bannered on very blog out there, and their successes are quieted away or totally ignored. I’ve got my own qualms about how things are done at NAR at times, but that’s been covered elsewhere. In this case, NAR is releasing many fee-based programs and products for agents for free. They are hailing it as “free” but I’ll the first here to point out two things. The first is that member’s dues paid for this. NAR may have investment options and other income streams to run this program, but these resources and those investments still needed member support to get executed. Second, it’s my opinion that these products and services should have always been available to members for free – just like I think realtor.com should be free.
I think it’s sad that I have to start out with the disclaimer before even writing the post. Funny enough, I was trying to come up with a cleaver title, but I figured that using “NAR” would automatically trigger emotions either way…
The Meat
Yesterday, I was attending a Association Executives session at the Virginia Association of Realtors®. NAR gave a webcast introducing their “Right Tools – Right Now” Campaign. Part of the release to the CEO’s had the following:
In response to these needs, NAR is proposing a program that will make valuable publications, education, services, resources and tools available to members for FREE, at cost, or at significantly reduced pricing. The intent of the program is to make NAR’s robust roster of business-building resources more easily available by removing the financial barrier, thereby increasing the number of members who take advantage of these tools and information.
Nearly 300 previously ‘for-sale’ resources will be offered at discount or for free in the following categories: Education Tools & Publications, Conventions & Events, Technology Services, Research Tools, Enhanced Services, Online Training and Association & Board Resources. In some cases, new services have been created and offered at no charge to better help members in this time.
In this package are extensive assets and offerings for Local Associations and members, but I am just going to outline the items offered in the package that pertain to member-practitioners. All of these materials will be posted at www.realtor.org. However, I couldn’t seem to find an exact launch date, just that it’ll be up within this month.
Here are the outlined services:
I understand that in the next day or two there will be a video posted on Realtor.org explaining this in more detail, but remember that you heard it here first! If the video is embed-able, I’ll come back and post it here.
There are ton of items of value on this list. I also understand that there will be some discount on Swanepoel’s Trend report, that was just briefly touched on int the webcast. Of special interest to me, was the PDF version of Home Buyer and Seller Profiles. Seconded by the vast number of client brochures and broker tools, such as anti-trust booklets. All of this will make it remarkably easier to post on your website, so that you can give your buyer or seller packet link to the client by e-mail. It’ll also make it easier for Brokers to get good tools for their agent’s orientation or ongoing training.
In a future post, we’ll visit what an on-line buyer packet should look like and which of these tools should be used.
One of the most frustrating things I can hear from members is that they don’t know what they get for their dues, well here is a great, tangible answer.
Also of interest from Realtor Associations would be:
Virginia Association of Realtors New Agent Program (free) – www.AgentQuickStart.com
NAR’s Free Virtual Video and eBook source with chat option to NAR support – ProQuest
NAR’s Client / Agent Market Resource tool https://www.housingmarketfacts.com/
NAR’s general information and research tool https://www.realtor.org/research
I know that some of you aren’t fans of NAR, but are you bitter enough to not use free tools and resources to make your business better?
Michelle DeRepentigny
February 13, 2009 at 10:30 am
Wow, that is pretty good news. I am especially excited to see the profiles and preference reports available free. I have purchased them sometimes in the past and really been able to leverage the info in them, this time the money just wasn’t available.
Ben Martin, Va Assn of REALTORS
February 13, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Just as a point of information, AgentQuickStart.com is still in development and should definitely be considered a Beta (or perhaps even Alpha) product.
Dale Stinton CEO, National Association of REALTORS
February 13, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Matt,
Thanks for posting the information on the “Right Tools – Right Now” program. We have been thinking about doing this for a few months. In fact, one of the sources of the idea was a fellow blogger of yours who hoped we could put the Home Buyer Profile online.
Thanks for spreading the word.
–Dale
P.S. we just hired a Social Media Manager who starts shortly.
Hilary Marsh, REALTOR.org
February 13, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Hi Matt,
Thanks so much for posting this information (even with the disclaimer).
The NAR staff is working as fast as we can to get information about all the products and programs online. Look for it in the next couple of weeks.
Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have questions!
Best,
Hilary
Monika
February 15, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Some good stuff listed Matthew. I am very happy that NAR is heading in this direction. Most if not all of this should be free for members.
Matthew Rathbun
February 16, 2009 at 10:14 am
Dale / Hilary,
You know that I am fan and the disclaimer is in the interest of sharing my own thoughts and heading up what I knew would be comments. I heard a lot about this offline.
This is a fantastic move forward and tangible proof that NAR is listening.
It’s important to know that you read these posts from the RE.net and more importantly that you are listening and engaging folks on this forum.
Thanks!
Bill Lublin
February 17, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Matt;
Why am I not surprised that you carry the torch forward to let people know that there are benefits to membership – even if you have to take thr trouble to use the 😉