Last week I wrote about how real estate is generally thought of as local. In fact, when most people think of real estate three words come to mind; location, location, and location. Realtors, for the most part, help property owners in the same communities they live and work in.
As I prepare to join other Realtors® from all over the country for NAR NXT, the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Fall Conference in Orlando, Florida, I’m reminded of how important it is to have a network of fellow professionals. NAR is the country’s largest trade association, and an estimated 12,000 Realtors® and industry stakeholders from all 50 states, several U.S. territories and 60 countries will join. And while it’s great to catch up with fellow colleagues, it’s certainly not all fun in the sun. Participants can choose from more than 100 education sessions and interact with almost 400 exhibitors at the real estate industry's largest trade show.
2022 NAR President Leslie Rouda Smith has a great summary of our fall convention. "Realtors are ready and set to grow at the industry's preeminent gathering for real estate professionals. Realtors and real estate professionals worldwide will join one another to learn, share best practices, network, give back to the Orlando community, and focus on what's new and coming soon to our ever-changing industry."
NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, who has presented to our association numerous times, will share his latest outlook for the residential housing market on November 11, and present his commercial real estate and economic forecast on November 12. Dr. Yun’s expertise will certainly be met with excitement.
From the world of politics, Karl Rove, political strategist and former deputy chief of staff for President George W. Bush, and April Ryan, CNN political analyst and TheGrio White House correspondent, will discuss the impact of the 2022 elections and provide their 2023 outlook during the Federal Legislative and Political Forum on November 12.
The wide range of speakers at NAR NXT truly allows for Realtors to learn from the best in their respective fields. Jay Shetty, bestselling author of "Think Like a Monk" and media game-changer – with more than 50 million social media followers – will address attendees on November 12.
For sports fans like me, there’s an especially interesting speaker. Venus Williams – legendary tennis champion, seven-time Grand Slam winner, entrepreneur and philanthropist – will join 2022 NAR President Leslie Rouda Smith for a fireside chat on November 13. These sessions have been the highlight of many meetings in the past.
NAR NXT will also include forums about regulatory issues, emerging technology, and real property valuation. And finally, the association's Board of Directors will meet and deliberate issues that impact NAR members' daily business on November 14.
After 2020, I can almost certainly guarantee that none of us attending are taking for the granted the absolute joy of meeting together in the same place. In the coming weeks, I look forward to updating folks on the changing landscape of the real estate market/industry.
Realtors across the country (and world) work in their communities everyday to meet the property needs of those around them. That’s Who We R®.