Illinois REALTOR® Magazine | October 2012

Year of opportunity calls for a strong finish

2012 saw transition, focus on advocacy for association

By Loretta Alonzo  | CRB, GRI, 2012 IAR President

Suddenly, it’s fall.

And like many of you, I am not quite sure where the year went.

One minute I am giving my inaugural remarks. The next I am writing my last column as president of the Illinois Association of REALTORS®.

In the months in between, IAR helped its members navigate transition, worked to guarantee our ability to fight for private property rights, put a statewide spotlight on housing issues and made changes that strengthened the association’s financial standing.

And we had a lot of fun along the way.

Of course, there’s still much to accomplish heading into the final months of the year. As important as how you begin a year is how you finish it. With that thought in mind, I’d encourage you to do the following:

• Go to the 2012 Fall Conference & Expo in St. Charles, Oct. 2-4: We’ve got a powerful array of speakers who can help you grow your business, and you’ll get a chance to unwind and reconnect with colleagues from throughout the state.

  It really doesn’t matter whether you are new to real estate or are a longtime veteran of the profession, there’s always something to take away from these conferences.

• Make sure your voice is heard: One of the REALTOR® organization’s strengths is that members are politically aware. Make sure you look at all the candidates on the ballot Nov. 6 through the lens of how their decisions might benefit you and your clients’ interests. Most important, get out and vote accordingly.  
• Finally, invest in your future:  Based on the experiences of our lobbying team this year, government entities at all levels have vigorously sought ways to enhance their budgets while at the same time making it harder for our members to do business.

Our ability to vote – backed up with contributions to RPAC – is the best protection we have to make sure that our livelihoods aren’t threatened.

Yes, it has been an amazing year for an association filled with equally amazing people. I thank all of you for your willingness to pitch in, tackle the tough issues and take the steps needed to keep the REALTOR® brand strong.