User3425_4_t Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate
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What has your REALTOR Association done for you lately?

Realtor

 

As REALTORS, we belong to the National Association of REALTORS, our State Associations, and our Local Associations.  Some people even list these memberships on their websites and their business cards (as if there was room).  Membership takes little more than paying yearly dues and subscribing to the REALTOR Code of Ethics.  In most cases, REALTORS join the association for access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and because it is a requirement of their broker.

 

We receive the monthly magazine which may or may not have articles useful to our business.  By the time most of the stuff gets printed, the tech savvy among us have already read the advice somewhere online.  

 

If you are at all involved with your local or state association, you may want to urge them to follow the lead of the Virginia Association of REALTORS (VAR) which has quickly become the national trailblazer setting the example for communicating with and helping its REALTOR membership.

 

Check this out:

VARBuzz

First, VAR established VARBuzz -- a trendsetting blog for communicating with its membership and establishing a local and national voice within the real estate community.

 

Blog Brawl

 

 

Next, VARBuzz hosted the First Annual VAR Blog Brawl pitting 60 real estate blogs from around the country in a March Madness style blog tournament, gaining national attention and readership for the state association blog.

 

 

 

 

 

Brian Block teaching about Active Rain at BloggerconThird, yesterday, the Virginia Association of REALTORS hosted a Bloggercon bringing together 30 REALTORS from across the state in a day of learning, teaching, and networking with experienced and novice real estate bloggers.

 

 

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to teach the attendees about the benefits of using Active Rain and the how-to's of blogging as one of the presenters at the Bloggercon.  It was a great opportunity to meet and share with many of the people that I've connected with online both here and elsewhere. 

 

 

 

Several of the other attendees have already written good summary posts about the day at Bloggercon:

Jeremy Hart blogs about Bloggercon

Danilo Bogdanovic summarizes the day at Bloggercon

Matthew Rathbun blogs about Bloggercon -- Our Association is cooler than yours! 

 

Here's a few more pictures from the VAR Bloggercon. 

Bob Carney and Ben Martin discuss blogging tips Daniel Rothamel (AKA Real Estate Zebra) and other attendees listen and learn

Daniel Rothamel hosts live ZebraTalk on BlogTalkRadio

DOES YOUR STATE ASSOCIATION DO THIS?

WHY NOT? 

 

34 Comments on Does Your REALTOR Association Do This?

It was great meeting everyone "in person" they were all exactly who I thought they would be!  

04/05/2008 10:15 AM by Matthew Rathbun ABR/M, ASR, e-PRO, QSC, GRI, SRES, Brkr (Real Estate Career Academy)


Brian~

What a great idea. I'm sending a link to your post on over to the Membership Director at the Asheville Board of REALTORS...maybe we will be following VAs footsteps...THX!

 

04/05/2008 10:23 AM by Asheville's GREEN Land & Homes ECO-Steward Realty


Man, some great ideas!  Seems your association is right on top of things!!!

04/05/2008 11:00 AM by Jeremy Blanton Myrtle Beach Real Estate (Coldwell Banker Chicora Real Estate)


Our Association has been trying to implement better ways of communication including on-line forums. None have really gotten off the ground. I wish they would.

Brian Great info. I will pass it along this coming week at our monthly association meeting.

04/05/2008 11:08 AM by Jason & Deanna Long Breckenridge Real Estate (The Long Group)


Even though I am in Las Vegas because of the innovativeness of the conference yesterday I felt like I was there and knew what was going on.  This is in part due to Twitter where participants kept  us up to the minute and then the broadcast with Daniel was phenomenal.  I enjoyed every minute Great job.

04/05/2008 11:20 AM by Chris Shouse, RealtorĀ® Las Vegas (Xtreme Realty)


Brian, I followed on Twitter as much as possible. Your right this is a great model for the rest of the nation. I'll see what I can do with Ann Arbor and Michigan Association Realtors. 

04/05/2008 01:23 PM by Missy Caulk-Ann Arbor- Realtor(R)- Ann Arbor Real Estate (Keller Williams-Ann Arbor)


Very interesting association you have there, Brian.  Ours doesn't do much for us.  I am one of those who throws the mag away at the mailbox, I already read it online.

BTW - I think you hit the POST button a few times, lots of views on the AR dashboard.

04/05/2008 01:25 PM by Virginia Hepp - Mesquite Nevada Real Estate Agent (ERA Brokers Consolidated - Mesquite NV Homes)


I'll also talk to the Michigan association to see if they have an interest thanks for the thought.

04/05/2008 04:03 PM by Terry Westbrook ~ Realtor(R) Grand Rapids Mi Ada/Cascade Real Estate (Five Star Real Estate, LLC Grand Rapids , MI)


Your association is so much more open to blogging than ours. I don't think many people in our area blog at all.

I love the logo.

04/05/2008 06:33 PM by Karen Luke - Henry County Real Estate (Keller Williams Realty )


This was cool, and I was shocked to be among the 60 blogs (since I'm not in Virginia) in such good company as you and Cindy Jones, among others - My blog even survived a round or two.  I do think you're doing a great job in VA, and hope other state associations follow Virginia's example. 

04/06/2008 07:23 AM by Margaret Woda, Crofton Maryland Real Estate (Long & Foster REALTORS)


MATTHEW:  It was great meeting so many Virginia bloggers in person.  Glad you were there and thanks for taking some photos too.

04/07/2008 07:15 AM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


JANEANNE:  Thanks for your comment.  Of course, the idea was the brainchild of Ben Martin, VAR's Director of New Technology.  I'm happy to hear that you'll be passing this along.

04/07/2008 07:16 AM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


JEREMY:  Yes, the Virginia Association is definitely on top of things!

04/07/2008 07:16 AM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


JASON & DEANNA:  Thanks for your comments.  Perhaps this will light the fire under some other associations to get in gear.

04/07/2008 07:19 AM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


CHRIS:  Glad you could get a peek at the Bloggercon through Twitter and Daniel's broadcast.  Almost like being there!

04/07/2008 07:20 AM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


MISSY:  Thanks for following along on the day of the conference and for suggesting these ideas to your associations.

04/07/2008 07:20 AM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


VIRGINIA:  Hopefully your association will become more interactive and helpful for its membership.

04/07/2008 07:21 AM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


TERRY:  Between you and Missy, you should have Michigan covered.

04/07/2008 07:22 AM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


KAREN:  There are certainly some areas with more bloggers than others.  We happen to live and work in a very wired area.  The abundance of bloggers keeps us on our toes.

04/07/2008 07:23 AM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


MARGARET:  I was glad that you made it into the Blog Brawl and could see some of the innovative things that the Virginia Association of REALTORS is doing to set the example.

04/07/2008 07:24 AM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


Now if we can only get NVAR to get with the program.

Also when you gonna add more to my site? I plan to blog about it here soon.

04/07/2008 10:50 PM by Frank


Brian, that is really awesome.  I have to check to see if GCAAR does this?  I am bad, I don't spend enough time at the association. . .

04/07/2008 11:30 PM by Audrey June-Forshey, GRI, Gaithersburg, MD (RE/MAX Realty Group)


FRANK:  That's why we need to get you on the Board!  I'll add some more to your new site soon, I hope.

04/08/2008 04:06 PM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


AUDREY:  Thanks for your comment.  If GCAAR doesn't, why not bring it to their attention?

04/08/2008 04:07 PM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


This is great. We've got some limited blogging capability on our site but agents here don't blog much - a few very active ones and then  nothing. I'm going to pass this info along to our webmaster.

04/08/2008 09:42 PM by Gene Wunderlich - Selling Southwest California Homes / Temecula & Murrieta (Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage)


No...ours doesn't.....blogging is still behind times for them. You'd think it wouldn't be behind...as they are quick to update other things :)

04/09/2008 04:28 PM by Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman (RA), e-PRO HAWAII Relocations & HAWAII Real Estate (Century 21 Liberty Homes -Mililani, Hawaii)


There are so many realtors that don't want to keep up with change of times. They don't want to know anything about a blog. They don't need that, I have never done that before and I did okay! this is what I hear from those that are a little older and even from the ones that has gotten lucky with clients.

04/09/2008 05:00 PM by Greg Hampton North Georgia Mountain Property,Blue Rid (Re/Max Around The Mountains)


Brian, this is a great idea.  I will have to check and see if our association does this.

04/09/2008 06:41 PM by Bob Cumiskey, US Army Retired, Your Sun City Center, Florida ~ Realtor (A 1 Connection Realty, Inc.)


I wish our association did something similar to VAR as far as blogging goes.  I took a look at the other sites you linked too as well.  What a great way for VAR to keep their members updated and connected.  Now, the other associations just need to catch on!

04/09/2008 08:54 PM by Colorado Springs Realty Patricia Beck (Prudential Professional Realtors, GRI)


GENE:  Thanks for your comments.  See if you can get your folks more active.  I think that this will e the wave of the future for associations.

04/10/2008 09:15 PM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


SALLY:  You may just have to import blogging from the mainland for Hawaii's association.

04/10/2008 09:16 PM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


GREG:  I agree wholeheartedly with your comment.  Some people just don't want to learn new things and change with the times.  Oh well, maybe they are on the way out.

04/10/2008 10:29 PM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


BOB:  Thanks for commenting.  Maybe you can urge them to follow our lead.

04/10/2008 10:30 PM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


PATRICIA:  I do think that VAR truly is leading the way.  It will be interesting to see if these ideas and innovations make their way through other associations.

04/10/2008 10:31 PM by Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)


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Real Estate Agent: Brian Block  -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate (RE/MAX Allegiance)
Brian Block -- Northern Virginia & D.C. Real Estate
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