What it means to be a REALTOR®: Office visits highlight REALTOR® difference

Seattle King County REALTORS® Membership Director Val Taylor and CEO Russ Hokanson recently visited Keller Williams Bellevue Wednesday as part of a series of office visits designed to better inform REALTORS® about the benefits of membership, and why being a REALTOR® sets them apart.

“The great thing about giving a presentation at an office is that we get to meet members and hear directly from them about the issues that affect their day to day business,” said CEO Russ Hokanson. “Our goal is to connect with every office, big or small.”

The purpose of the visits is to meet with REALTORS® face-to-face, provide insight into membership benefits, and get feedback on what the most pressing market issues are for members. Taylor kicked off the presentation by covering the numerous marketing tools available to members, including free, ready-to-brand articles from HouseLogic.com, the free legal hotline, and the technology helpline. She also highlighted new offerings from Placester and realtor.com®.

“It was wonderful having Seattle King County REALTORS® visit our office,” said Carolyn Baran, designated broker at Keller Williams Bellevue and Director for Seattle King County REALTORS®. “It’s important to us that our brokers hear from our Association because the comprehensive look at REALTOR®-exclusive tools and resources helps brokers understand why they are members and how they benefit,” said Baran.

Hokanson followed with a discussion of some key REALTOR® advocacy wins, including the retention of 1031 exchanges for real estate in the federal tax reform plan and the defeat of a state proposal to increase taxes on real estate commissions by 66%.

And, of course, it wouldn’t be a discussion with area brokers without talk of inventory. Despite the recent defeat of a condominium reform bill in the Washington legislature, Hokanson shared with the brokers that Seattle King County REALTORS® is still working to reduce disincentives for developers who wish to build condos, which would fill a key gap in our market’s inventory. “We know there’s tremendous demand and we’re going to continue to work on condo reform into 2019,” said Hokanson. “Housing supply will continue to be our number one issue.”

The presentation closed with a call to visit our News Center for updates about industry trends, tax changes, REALTOR® events, and everything else affecting the King County real estate market.

If you’d like to schedule a visit for your office to hear more from about REALTOR® benefits and how to use them, email Val Taylor. You can also visit our website anytime to learn more about REALTOR® membership and resources.